Who's Gonna Take You Home
by Beebow
Summary: When Jo arrives in Portia, she's not sure what to expect. Despite her confident nature, Jo isn't completely sure how to live out the life her father has left for her. But along the way she meets Arlo - and their draw to each other is instant. Both just pin each other as merely a friend and "nothing more." And yet, they continue to fall into situations that suggest otherwise.
1. Chapter 1

"Here it is!"

The side of Jo's mouth couldn't help but quirk up as she stared at the house before her. Although, she wasn't so sure she should be referring to the sight as a "house."

The foundation was nearly the size of a shed with boards missing in the roof and slightly broken windows. Even the fence surrounding the property was busted with boards peeling and knocked out of place.

"It's not much now, but I'm sure you'll make something of it," Presley continued, attempting reassurance.

Jo nodded. Placing her hands on her hips as she continued to scan the exterior.

Her silence was a cause of the thoughts running around her head. Not out of disappointment after seeing the space and having this hope for "more." Rather, her mind was filled with thoughts of her father. So many thoughts. Definitely thoughts she couldn't bring up to Presley - a well near stranger.

"It's perfect," she finally said, her mouth raising into a full smile now. "Although, I'm a little nervous to see the state of the inside."

Considering the flimsy roof and windows, there was bound to be some sort of creatures taking refuge in the (up until recently) vacant home. Jo would definitely have to find a sturdy stick to beat them off with tonight.

"Oh, no no," Presley quickly jumped in. "The mayor had it cleaned out before you got here. Everything should be all clear for you!"

"Ah," Jo said with a nod. "Well thank goodness for that!"

"Right. Well, the house is only the first part of a long list of to-do's," Presley stated. "We have some other matters to handle at the Commerce Guide. Why don't you have a look inside, get settled, and then meet me there? Here's a simple map incase you need help. But I think you'll also find the locals are very friendly and are willing to point you in the right direction if needed."

Jo took the map from Presley before tucking it away in her back pocket. "Sounds great. I'll make sure to come straight away."

"Oh, take your time!" Presley said, waving her off slightly. He then headed up the path back to the main entrance of town, leaving Jo to herself.

"Right," she huffed under her breath as she turned her attention back to her new home. Her eyes scanned the front door once again as if searching for more than faltering boards and weak nails.

"Just tear off the bandaid, Jo," she stated.

Finally, she put her feet in motion, pushing her way through the front gate that squeaked loudly under the pressure of her hand. She then used the rusted key provided by Presley to unlock the door before her and allow herself inside.

It was bright. Brighter than she thought it would be. For some reason, despite Presley's words, Jo had anticipated a creaky old cellar with dark corners and spider webs hanging all around.

And yet, she found only light shining into the home that allowed her to see a clean interior that was empty aside from a single bed.

The light, of course, was a side effect from the busted roof, which she would have to fix as soon as possible - but she still appreciated it nonetheless.

Approaching the bed, Jo placed her single suitcase down on top of it - thankful to see that no dust erupted from the mattress from the impact.

"So… I guess I'm settled then," she said to herself, turning around to study the space.

What more was there to do?

Well, for one, she could get her hair out of her face. Portia sure was warm considering it was only the beginning of spring. She could only imagine the humidity and clamminess of the summer.

Retrieving some bobby-pins from her suitcase, Jo pinned both sides of her hair back in order to cool the skin on her face. She then took off her light jacket that had been ideal to travel in, but too constricting now. She was left in a simple black tank top that allowed her arms and chest to breathe.

"Alright, that's better. Now to the Commerce Guide."

Exiting her new home, Jo fiddled with the key in her hand as she debated locking the door behind her. In her old city, it would be a no brainer. However, Portia was different. It was as if a sense of community was hovering over her in the air. She could practically smell it.

Laughing to herself, Jo ultimately decided to lock the door. There may be a sense of community, but she wasn't technically sure if she was part of that community yet.

"Okay, where is this place…?" Jo asked as she pulled out her map. She could see that Presley had starred where her home resided on the map, but the rest of his labeling was a bit jumbled and overlapping.

Jo's brow furrowed as she tried to make out the words, even bringing the paper uncomfortably close to her face in an attempt to read it.

"Need some help there?"

A sweet voice caused Jo to jump, the map immediately lowering from her face.

"Oh, I didn't mean to startle you," the voice continued. However, Jo could now see it belonged to a charming girl with braided, blonde hair and bright green eyes.

"No, sorry," Jo said with a shake of her head. She let out a small laugh as she took in the girl's expression. "I just didn't see you…. due to the map that I had… an inch away from my face…."

Now the blonde laughed, the bubbly sound filling Jo with a strange warmness.

"You're funny," the girl stated. "You must be the new builder." She gestured up at the house behind Jo.

"That would be me," Jo confirmed with a shrug.

"Well then, welcome! Glad to have you. I'm Emily. I live just over there with Grandma Sophie and McDonald," the girl said, reaching out a hand.

"Pleasure. I'm Jo."

The two shook hands briefly before turning their attention back to the map.

"So where are you looking to go?" Emily asked.

"Commerce Guild," Jo stated. "Presley labeled it on here… somewhere. His handwriting is a little jumbled. Hard to see."

"Right. Well, you're in luck. Commerce Guild is basically straight ahead," Emily informed her, pointing towards the entrance to town. "That's Peach Plaza right there, but if you keep heading forward - mind the fountain - then Commerce is right there."

"Huh," Jo said, rolling up her map again. "Well, that was simple."

"We're a fairly simple town," Emily said with a proud grin.

"Good," Jo said with a laugh. "I could use some simplicity."

"I'm awfully sorry about your, Pa," Emily blurted out suddenly, embarrassment immediately visible on her features. "Oof, and I'm sorry that was so forward. I just can't imagine…" she trailed off for a moment. Jo could see the slight panic on her face now.

"You're okay. Really. I appreciate it," Jo said. "People tend to tip toe around those conversations, but I don't mind."

Emily smiled once more. "Well, if you're ever up for it, please come over and join Grandma and I for some dinner. Granny makes the best homemade meals."

Jo snuck a glance towards where Emily had pointed before. She could see the fields and pastures residing in the distance. The grass looked perfect to take a nap in -even with the ducks and chicks.

Jo smiled. "I'll be sure to."

"Alright, I won't take up any more of your time. Good luck with Commerce!" Emily said, beginning to walk back towards her house.

"Thank you, Emily. For the help and everything. Nice meeting you!" Jo responded.

She then turned towards the entrance of the town and headed in the direction that Emily had advised.

And the girl was right - it was simple.

* * *

"Okay. Everything seems to be in order then. All your information is down. Now all I need is a name," Presley said, looking up at Jo expectantly.

"A name…?" Jo asked, her brows pulling together.

"For the workshop. Your father never picked out a name, as much as we kept pestering him for one, so now would be a good time for you to provide one… if that would be alright."

"Sure…." Jo responded, trailing off.

A name… she had no idea what name to use. The responsibility of naming your father's beloved workshop felt like the biggest decision in the world. Well, that was a bit drastic, but she wasn't exactly buzzing with ideas.

Pa's Workshop? Noooo. That's lame. Come on.

What about just… Jo's? Still no.

The Ultimate Builder of All Thi- … definitely not.

Moments passed as Jo kept her perplexed expression pointed down at the floor. The clocking ticking on the wall was mocking her incessantly.

However, the twisted features on her face suddenly smoothed as she straightened and looked at Presley.

"Menagerie."

"Menagerie?" Presley asked.

"Yes… Menagerie. Old family thing…" Jo offered as a poor explanation.

Presley nodded. "Alright, Menagerie. I like it."

He then took his fountain pen and scribbled the name down in his same untidy handwriting. The name was set in stone.

"Great! The business is all done. I will get working on your certificate and have it printed and ready for you to pick up at the end of the day," Presley informed her. "For now, I would suggest going around town to meet the locals. We're a fairly small bunch, so it won't be too hard."

Before Jo could respond, Presley produced a list in front of her full of names.

"Here you are. Makes things a little easier. The locals and their professions. You'll have a better time finding them that way."

"Right," Jo replied, her fingers fumbling with the corner of the paper. Despite Presley stating that the group was "small" there were still quite a few names on the list. More than expected.

"It's good to meet the people you will be doing business with. That way you can get commissions and start building right away!"

His enthusiasm was incredible.

Jo nodded. "Thank you...for this," she told him. "I guess I've got a lot of work to do… people to meet."

"Best of luck!" Presley said as Jo stood from the desk.

Jo managed a half hearted smile as she made her way out of the Commerce Guild, giving Antoine a little wave as she went.

"Okay, okay…" she spoke to herself once outside. "Emily - check. Antoine - check. Presley - check," she crossed each name off. "At least that's three."

Looking up from the list, Jo gazed around - trying not to look too desperate. Her eyes fell on what looked like a restaurant across the way where she could see some folks coming and going.

"That looks like a good start. Why not," she said with a nod before heading off in the direction.

* * *

"Right. That takes care of those eight. Not that I'll be able to remember all of their names. Especially those brothers… how many did I meet?… Three? Four? Dawa… Samwa.. no - Sanwa. Oh God."

Jo kept her nose in her paper as she continued to walk down the road towards what she believed was Central Plaza. However, she couldn't help but lift her nose elsewhere as she smelled something infinitely better.

Flowers.

Stopping in the middle of the street, Jo looked to her right to find a small booth with beautiful asterias and roses on display. It took everything in her not to skip over like a giddy teenager.

Keeping her composure, she walked over and immediately felt a grin spread over her face as she noticed the houseplants tucked away to the corner of the booth. She was entranced, so much that she hardly noticed the woman sitting beside the greenery.

"See anything you like?" The woman asked.

"Yes," Jo answered immediately. "I love it all."

A tenderness fell over Jo as she inspected the leaves on some of the succulents. They were firm and lively, making her smile burn into her cheeks further.

"Most people dawdle on the roses," the woman spoke. "Not usually the houseplants."

Jo laughed, taking a step back now. "Mmm, I'm a bit obsessed with them. Studied a lot of Horticulture as a hobby." She moved to look at the yellow leaf plant next to the succulent. "I had a large collection of plants where I used to live, but unfortunately they couldn't make the trip."

"Oh!" The woman said suddenly, causing Jo to slide her eyes up to her. "You're the new builder! How rude of me. I'm Alice."

"Jo," she replied, shaking the woman's hand.

"Welcome! We've all been anticipating your arrival. It will be nice having another builder in town who isn't Higgins," Alice said, her voice almost a grumble.

"Higgins?" Jo asked, looking down at the names on her list. Sure enough, there it was - still uncrossed.

"Yeah. He's kind of the big builder in town. Takes himself very seriously. Sorry, I don't mean to come across as rude. He's just… interesting."

"Interesting, huh?" Jo asked. "Well, I guess I'll have to meet him for myself."

Alice let out a gentle laugh. "Good luck. He doesn't take kindly to new builders."

Jo smiled. "Thanks for the warning. Sounds fun."

Alice quirked a brow at Jo's statement, but soon let it fade into a small smile.

"Nice to meet you, Alice. I'll be back for some houseplants. When I'm not a… 'mission,'" Jo finished, raising her paper as proof.

"Look forward to it, Jo. Thank you," Alice replied.

As reluctant as Jo felt to leave her safe space among the plants, she forced herself to move on down the road. She crossed off Alice's name before looking at all of the others she still had to find.

Yeah. Small was an understatement.

* * *

"Alright. Alice was right. Higgins is the WORST," Jo said to herself as she reached the top of a large set of stairs. "'Men are the superior builders.' What a jerk."

Jo huffed as she continued to make her way up the side of the hill, passing by a few homes of the locals.

"Why does it have to keep going up? How cruel," Jo whined to herself. It was an unusual behavior for her, but Higgins had put her in a bad mood. Her tongue was nearly bleeding from biting it so hard.

"Hey!"

Jo heard a voice call out, causing her to turn around. She was met with a pretty blonde running over, a sign reading "Collapsed Wasteland" residing behind her.

"You're the new builder, yeah?" The girl said as she neared Jo. Without warning, she reached out her hand to show some worn in gloves. "Sam."

The girl's actions and words came fast as if she meant complete business. However, Jo could still tell she meant well under the somewhat "hard" exterior.

"Jo," she said, taking the girl's hand.

"Awesome. Nice to meet ya. When did you get into town?" Sam asked.

"About two hours ago," Jo informed her.

"Ah, let me guess. Presley's got you on the "Meet and Greet" homework?"

Jo held up the paper in her hand and nodded. "List and all."

Sam chuckled. "He means well. And at least you can cross my name off the list now."

The blonde stepped to Jo's side, looking down at the list.

"Oh, good. They changed my name from Samantha to Sam finally. Apparently they got my warnings," she stated.

"Mmm," Jo replied. "Unfortunately, I'm stuck with Josephine. Wanna throw some of those warnings in for me?"

"Gladly. I love messing with Presley."

Jo laughed at this as she turned her attention back to Sam. The girl was definitely a nice breath of fresh air after the beast that was Higgins.

"You've made a decent dent," Sam stated. "Let me help introduce you to the rest. Especially since you haven't met the other members of my team."

"Your team?" Jo asked as she began to follow Sam further up the hill.

"Yeah. Civil Corps. I'm not the Captain - don't get it twisted. But we're a tight knit crew. It's just me, Rem, and Arlo."

Jo looked down at the list and quickly located both names Sam mentioned. That took care of two more, at least.

"Arlo is our Captain. But he doesn't like it when I call him that. Too formal - he says. So we stick with Arlo. Remington is awesome. Strong, confident - but also the best to hit the Round Table with," Sam continued on.

"I was there earlier. Really only met the Lulu brothers, though," Jo chimed in.

"Ah, the Hulu brothers. They're an interesting bunch. But yeah. Rem wouldn't be there at this time. We've got rounds and commissions to take care of during the day. Usually more of a nightly thing," Sam continued.

Reaching the top of the hill, Jo tried to keep her breathing steady. The uphill walk definitely proved how out of shape she was - but not for Sam.

"Alright, infirmary first," Sam stated.

Infirmary? Jo didn't think she seemed that winded. Did she look worse than she felt?

"Oh, uh," Jo began, but Sam jumped in.

"Dr. Xu and Phyllis work there. Phyllis is a good friend of mine since we work across the way from each other. You've got to meet her."

Oh. Not about my appearance then.

Walking through the doors, Jo was met with exactly Sam what had promised. It was a small hospital with only two other people occupying it - a man with dark hair, glasses, a white coat and the other… a gorgeous blonde woman making the most of her nurses outfit.

Wow.

"Phyllis, Xu. Meet Jo. The new builder," Sam announced.

"Pleasure," Xu said as he looked up from his work. However, the minute his eyes met Jo's, he quickly stood. His motions then seemed frantic and slightly clipped as he closed the distance between them to shake her hand.

"Very, very nice to meet you," he spoke.

"Nice to meet you too…" Jo replied, aware that she had zero control over the movement of her hand.

The moment Xu dropped it, Jo and Sam shared a neutral look. However, Jo could clearly see the smile Sam was trying to push away.

"Jo, it is a pleasure," another voice filled the room.

Jo looked away from Sam and saw the beautiful blonde walking towards her.

"So glad to have another face in our town. As Sam said, I'm Phyllis," she continued.

"Glad to be here," Jo said. Although, she could feel Xu's eyes burning into the side of her face that made her somewhat question that statement.

"You're in good hands with this one," Phyllis said, gesturing to Sam. "Even though she's a troublemaker."

"Proud of it too!" Sam declared with a big smile.

"I know it," Phyllis replied. "Still on for the round table later? You, Rem, me, and…." an elegant smile broke across her face.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Arlo. Yes, yes. We're on."

Was there something going on there?

"Oh, good. Something to look forward to after work," Phyllis said. Her voice and eyes practically dancing.

Definitely something going on there.

"Hey. It's not so bad here, is it?" Xu jumped in, looking from Phyllis and back to Jo - though she had no idea why.

"Oh, doctor, you know what I mean. Anyways, see you after, Sam. Great meeting you again, Jo."

"You too, Phyllis," Jo said, taking a step towards the door. She didn't dare glance back, still feeling Xu's stare.

"God, someone needs to put that Doc on a leash," Sam blurted out as soon as the doors closed behind them. "Practically drooled all over you."

"Glad I'm not the only one who caught that," Jo said as she crossed off more names.

"Might want to stay away from that one. Great doctor, but a weird guy," Sam continued.

"That is noted," Jo said. However, she kept it as more of a mental note.

"Right… onward!" Sam said.

She led the way towards another building that was across from the infirmary. Jo assumed it was Sam's own office considering her words before.

"You know," Jo began. "This town is much bigger than Presley and Gale let on. I've met… basically thirty people and there's still more?"

"You only feel that way because you've had to walk the entire town searching for them," Sam retorted.

"Okay, fair. But they made it sound like there would be like fifteen people. That's small. "

Sam laughed at this. "That's also boring. Imagine living in a town with only fifteen people. Tear your hair out."

As their conversation continued, Sam opened the doors to a building clearly labeled "Civil Corps." At least if Jo couldn't read Presley's handwriting on her map, she could always rely on the clear labels of each building.

"Home sweet home. Well, sorta," Sam stated, gesturing to the room around them.

Jo took a look around the large room, admiring the different pieces of decor scatter throughout. She also quickly took note of the jail cell to her right, indifferent to see that it was empty. Part of her wanted to see what a criminal would look like in this town.

"You live here?" Jo asked, turning her head away from the cell.

"Nah, I live elsewhere. The boys live here though. Rem's room is upstairs and Arlo's is right there."

Jo looked in the direction that Sam had pointed.

"Arlo's room is right across from the jail cell?" She mused.

Sam shrugged. "He likes to keep a close eye on everything."

"Evidentially," Jo stated under her breath.

"Where are they anyway? Rem? Arlo?" Sam called out.

The girls waited in silence for a moment before a door opened upstairs.

"Sam? That you?" A husky voice replied.

"Sure is. How goes it, Rem?" Sam said, smirking as the man made his way down the stairs.

"Goes well," he replied with a nod as he reached the bottom. "Arlo's not here. Had to go take a look at something with Gale by Amber Island."

"Ah figures," Sam replied.

"And who's this?" Remington asked, nodding towards Jo.

"This would be the new builder. Rem - Jo. Jo - Rem."

"Nice to meet you, Remington," Jo said, smiling as she shook his hand.

"Same to you. Good thing Sam showed you where our headquarters is located. Never hesitate to give us a shout when there's trouble."

"Will do. You two seem like a force to be reckoned with," Jo said.

"I'd like to think so. With Arlo included - we definitely are," Rem confirmed.

Sam suddenly flopped down on one of the couches, propping her feet up on the coffee table.

"I could use a break," she sighed. "Rounds were exhausting this morning. Plus playing tour guide."

"Think we're done for the day, anyway," Rem said as he sat on one of the other couches. "Come take a load off, Jo. You've probably done a lot of walking today too."

"Definitely," Jo said, taking a seat. She pushed her list away from her, not wanting to deal with it anymore. "I can't believe you guys walk up this steep hill everyday. Sam saw me. I could barely go up once."

"Aw, you took it like a champ. It gets easier, anyway," Sam chimed in.

"What she's failing to mention is we also ride our horses a lot of the time," Rem said, pushing Sam's knee slightly. She reacted by kicking a playful leg back at him.

"It doesn't sound as cool when you add in that fact," Sam told him.

"I don't know about that," Jo shrugged. "Horseback is pretty awesome."

"I agree. Can't outrun us that way either," Rem added.

Sam rolled her eyes at this as she began to take off her gloves. She looked as though she was about to say something more when the front doors were thrown open.

"Ah, there you two are!" A strong voice called into the room.

The three sitting on the couch jumped, but only Remington and Sam were quick to their feet. However, Jo hadn't managed the same reaction. Instead, she sat staring at them as she tried to catch her breath.

"You're in here having a chin wag while I've been out there being swarmed by Snail Urchins? How lovely," the voice continued.

Jo finally brought herself to turn towards the voice, stifling a smile at the thick accent and funny phrasing.

A chin wag?

Her eyes immediately met a tall man standing in the entry way. His red hair was tossed in every direction. His jacket was a yellow and white that looked smooth to the touch despite the scuffs here and there. He sported the same type of gear that Sam and Rem did - with their boots, gloves, and easy access packs or belts. A bandana was tired neatly around his neck, which seemed like one his own special touches. It was unique as the other two members did not wear anything similar. There were words written across it, but Jo couldn't make them out from where she was.

What she could make out was the deep blue color of his eyes - and how they were currently pointed entirely at her.

Warmth grew over her skin like wild fire and she prayed it didn't show the flames upon her cheeks.

This had to be Arlo.

After a moment of eye contact, Jo made herself pull her eyes away and look back towards the other Civil Corps. Once again, she needed to steady her breathing - but not for the same reason she had before.

"Sorry, Arlo," Rem was the first to speak. "We didn't know there was a need for backup."

"Yeah. Plus, I was busy giving our new friend here a tour," Sam said, smiling proudly.

"Right," Arlo said.

Jo couldn't help but look up once more when she heard his voice. Meeting his gaze once again.

Why was he still looking at her? Intimidation?

Rem and Sam both began to speak, but it all became a jumble as they approached Arlo.

A prickle began to run over Jo's skin as she was aware she was now sitting there alone. As a result, she quickly gathered her list and made her way towards the entry as well.

"Thank you for the help, Sam," she said over the noise, causing Rem and Sam to quiet down.

"Oh, Jo, you're leaving? Bummer. We should hang out. I'll drop by to see when you're free," Sam said.

The idea made Jo smile as she was happy to make the new connection.

"Great. Nice meeting you again, Rem. Hope to see you soon," Jo offered.

"You too," Rem replied, flashing a smile.

Jo's eyes then slipped over to Arlo, her lips parted as she saw him already looking at her.

"Good day, Captain," she said with a nod.

Oh, crap. Sam said he doesn't like being called Captain. Yikes.

Jo waited for him to correct her or even shoot a look of annoyance, but - to her surprise - he chose neither option. Instead, his hand was extended to her in a smooth movement.

Jo looked down at it before taking it, her breath hitching at the feeling of only his fingers touching against her skin.

She then looked back up to meet his eyes - which she could now confirm were as clear as ocean waters.

"Welcome to Portia," Arlo spoke.

Hands lingered for a moment before Jo was the one to finally pull hers away. She cleared her throat as she gave one final goodbye to the others. Thankful that the two were chattering amongst themselves and hadn't noticed what had just occurred.

Not that anything had occurred… unless it had. Had it? It wasn't really as "slow motion" and "movie moment-esque" as one might say or think. But the feeling of Arlo's fingers touching to her wrist as they shook hands. That was… interesting.

Jo made it out of the doors, swallowing hard as she thanked the fresh air now surrounding her. Even the warm weather outside felt cooler than the room she had just left.

Taking a deep breath, Jo shook her head and then rolled out her shoulders as she retrieved her list.

She needed to move on. To meet the rest of the town.

That's what she told herself anyway as she involuntarily circled Arlo's name instead of crossing it out.


	2. Chapter 2

The sound of wind and the terrible draft coming through the house had kept Jo tossing and turning all night. The calm, although, hot weather Portia had experienced throughout the day had certainly not stayed during the night. She could see the effects of that now.

"I need to fix this roof today ," Jo declared to herself as she stared above. As much as she had enjoyed the stars peaking through the boards last night, it wasn't worth tossing and turning.

Getting dressed, she pulled on a pair of her favorite black jeans and her black boots. She could already tell the air was cooler than yesterday, making her also pick out an army green jacket that she threw over a plain white t-shirt.

Before heading outside, Jo studied the roof once more - noting what materials she would likely need. She knew there was a chest outside including some of her Pa's tools that figured she could she could put to use.

Stepping out, something caught her attention in her upper peripheral, causing her to look up. She was met with a large sign hanging over the entrance.

Menagerie.

"They sure made quick work of that - didn't they?"

Jo smirked to herself, admiring the lettering. A small ache raised in her chest as she silently stared.

Hopefully the man himself would like it.

Shaking her head, she moved on and made her way to the chest of tools. The morning weather was cool and calming, the sun rising in the distance only making Jo's eyes shine with contentment.

Once she had everything she needed, Jo headed off in the direction of what she understood were the fields across from Amber Island. She had studied Presley's map for nearly three hours the night before - and even taken a magnifying glass to it in order to read the overlapping sections. Her understanding wasn't perfect, but she figured she could sort it out with basic common sense.

As she walked across the field, Jo threw her hair up into a ponytail in order to get it out of her face. She wanted to make today an honest day of work after feeling she had only spent yesterday shaking hands and repeating her own name one hundred times. Today was about getting her hands dirty. About fixing her roof, starting a life in her new home, and snagging a commission off of the board so she could rub it in Higgins' face.

Stupid Higgins.

Finally stopping, Jo found herself among dozens of trees that looked like they would produce excellent wood. She retrieved the axe she had strapped to her back and lined it up with the tree in front of her.

"Been a long time since I've done this," she breathed.

She hoped that the act would be instinctive. A type of muscle memory. Young Jo could barely lift an axe when her Pa had first guided her through chopping into even the smallest bit of wood, but that was years and years ago. She was stronger now. More capable.

Letting out a slow breath of air, she brought her hands back and then used great force to move the axe forward and hit the tree. The sensation that fired through her arms spread a tingle throughout her upper body, but she chose to ignore it. Instead, she focused on her first dent into the bark. A couple more of those and she would be carrying bundles of wood home in no time.

Winding up again, Jo sent another chop forward. She then repeated the movement again. And again. It became a steady pattern as she continued to work on the tree in front of her and the next once that was finished. The only time she paused was when she needed to throw off her jacket. Then she was right back to it.

It was almost as if she couldn't stop.

* * *

He stood at the entrance of town, just outside of Central Plaza. His arms were crossed over his chest as he looked out over the grass and trees before him.

Last year's winter had dragged, to the point that the whole town thought it would never end. And yet, Portia's flowers were now alive and blooming while the snow had completely melted away.

He was glad too. Snow and crisp air were not his favorite for his morning runs.

Scanning the fields one more time, for his own peace of mind, he was about to move on when he noticed someone crossing through the grass.

It was the builder. The new builder.

He couldn't help but keep his eyes on her as she continued to make her way across the field, her fingers flowing through her brown hair before she tied it up away from her neck. The early, rising sun added a golden glow to the back of neck now, making his eyes linger in that spot.

However, he tore them away when he saw her hands reach for something else. Behind her shoulders.

Suddenly, an axe appeared and he causing him to raise a brow as she tested it in her delicate hands.

What is she doing?

It was a stupid question. He knew. Especially because, within seconds, he watched as she brought the axe's blade firmly into the trunk of a tree, taking out a large chunk of the exterior.

A smirk fell over his entire mouth as he saw the damage.

Not bad, builder. Not bad at all.

He lost track of time as he watched her, knowing that his behavior was definitely on the creepy side. He was just impressed. Not many people could take down a tree with an axe like that, or even tried to. However, the girl looked more than capable.

She proved him right as her first tree came tumbling down and he could see the instant triumph in her demeanor as she watched it fall.

If he were close enough, he would even give her a vote of approval.

However, the pride was only short lived for the girl as she quickly moved on to the tree right beside the one she had just finished.

That's… something.

He raised a hand to his chin, watching her work once again. However, he heard a door open in the distance behind him - signaling him that the rest of the town was now up and moving.

Means you should get moving too.

He cleared his throat as he adjusted his bandana around his neck for the tenth time that morning. It was time for him to move on with his own work anyway. He fixed the gloves clinging to his fingers and wrists as he studied the girl for a few seconds longer.

The determined expression, the movement of her slender arms as she controlled the axe with each stroke.

Move on.

He let out a breath, turning away from the girl as he finally headed in the direction of Peach Plaza.

However, the sound of an axe hitting wood still echoed throughout the town.

* * *

So much wood. Why did she do this? Why didn't she think of a better plan?

Jo panted as she carried her fourth load of wood back to her workshop. There had to be an easier way to do this - an extra set of hands to ask, but she didn't feel comfortable recruiting help from the locals just yet.

Reaching home, she didn't waste any time as she dropped the load of wood off and headed towards the field again. Her body ached as she walked, her arms and shoulders sore from carrying each load.

But she was so close. There had to be one or two more piles to carry back and then she would be done. Well… done with the moving anyway. Then came time for the actual repairs.

When Jo finally reached her spot again, she began to pick up logs of wood and settle them into her arms. It was a mindless action at this point as she had done it four times already.

However, a strange noise filled her ears as she continued her work. The noise made the skin crawl on her back as she wasn't familiar with it. It sounded like an uneasy shuffling followed by some clacking.

What is that?

Finally pausing, Jo turned just in time to see some sort of creature coming towards her. It was like a mix between a snail and a crab - and it was HUGE.

Her eyes grew wide as she heard a voice shouting over the thing's noises.

"Run! Angry snailbobs on the loose! Move out of the way!"

Jo stumbled to her feet, backing away from the creature as she registered the man yelling towards her. One of the Hulu brothers, but she had no idea which one. At first, she thought he was coming to save her and fight the thing off, but it appeared that wasn't the case.

Plus, it wasn't just one thing. It was a lot of things. Probably about six of them all heading straight towards her.

"You've got to be kidding me," Jo said aloud.

How could this have possibly happened?

She listened to the Hulu brother continue screaming as he ran off towards town - not even daring to look behind him. Not that he had anything to fear. The snailbobs, as he called them, were currently locked in on Jo now. That was the target.

"Some help," she sighed as she looked around her. The only "weapon" she could manage right now was one of her longer pieces of wood. She had already dropped her axe off at her workshop with her second load of wood.

Well that was a mistake.

There was still the possibility for her to take off and run for the hills as the brother had. But that wasn't exactly her style.

Plus, the last she needed as a newcomer was to go down in history as the one who led a pack of snail things straight into town on her second day. Didn't seem right.

"Guess this is the option I'm going with," she said, positioning her hands on the piece of wood as she prepared to swing.

And sure enough, one of the snailbobs reached her and lunged - making her shift into motion.

* * *

"Quiet day, huh?" Rem asked, appearing at his side.

"You can say that again," he replied, searching their surroundings in Peach Plaza. "Not even Pinky has needed saving from a tree."

It was an odd thing to complain about - a simple and problem free day. But for both men that also meant a lack of excitement. Sadly, chaos and trouble were what they longed for, but their needs were going unfulfilled.

"Guess it will be an early visit to the Round Table tonight then," Rem continued. "Want to go tell Sam?"

The other man sighed, looking off in the direction of the Collapsed Wasteland as he knew Sam was standing guard.

"Suppose we cou-"

Before he could finish, a man's scream filled the streets of Portia. It was coming from Central Plaza and making its way towards them.

The sound caused Rem and him to share a look before they set their horses in motion to meet the source of the cries.

It didn't take long either. Galloped feet were quickly silenced as they came into contact with Liuwa, who nearly crashed into them in a fit of hysterics.

"Calm down, man!" Rem called out.

Liuwa came to a stop - his face red and sweaty from the commotion of running. He huffed as he attempted to relay the events he had just witnessed.

"Amber. And and and the snails they - and I ran, but the girl. They were… angry," he spewed out.

He eventually bent forward with his hands on his knees as he gasped for air. People had begun to gather around them now, wondering what Liuwa was going on about.

The men heard another horse galloping towards them before Sam finally appeared and brought her mare to a halt.

"What is going on here? I'm pretty sure they could hear Liuwa's screams from the middle of the Desert!"

"We're trying to figure that out," Rem told her before turning to Liuwa again. "Just take a breath and tell us what's going on. Can't help you unless we can understand you."

A final pant left Liuwa until he was able to look up at the Corps.

"I was on Amber Island," he began, pausing for a slight breath. "And all of a sudden these snailbobs just became aggressive and started coming after me. I ran, but they followed. Through the water and fields. I kept running, but there was a girl in the field. A young woman who didn't. She stayed."

Liuwa finished with one final huff before he flopped over to sit himself down on the ground.

The faces all around turned to look at each other, confused at his words and who may have been in the fields.

All but one who knew exactly who had been there nearly all day. Chopping down trees.

"Let's move," he called out suddenly, kicking the sides of his horse as he led the way back towards Central Plaza.

Dumbfounded expressions watched him go, including the two belonging to his mates who now followed him.

"Who do you think it is?" Rem called out. "Who wouldn't run?"

"I don't know any girl who would have stayed to fight," Sam yelled over the galloping. "Well, besides myself."

"Who's saying she stayed to fight?" Rem offered back.

Oh, she had stayed to fight, alright.

As they rounded the corner out of Central Plaza and into the field, they could clearly see the girl. She was standing there with a piece of basic wood in her hands, taking swings at a snailbob. And by the looks of it… not doing half bad.

* * *

"Just leave me alone, you freaky thing!" Jo called out as she landed another blow to the snail's head. It teetered slightly, but was still too stubborn to go down completely.

Meanwhile, the other remaining snail was keeping its distance as it snapped its claws at Jo in intimidation.

"Can't you just give a girl a break," she spoke again, taking another swing. "I was doing just fine before you guys showed up."

The snail in front of her seemed to take advantage of her annoyance, seeing it as an open window to lunge. Jo had been distracted enough and failed to anticipate the snails move as it came towards her and clamped onto her arm with its pincher.

Jo groaned from the pain. Her guard was now lowered, giving the snail that had kept its distance the chance to shoot forward and ram her with its shell. She took the blow on her left side, immediately feeling a shooting pain throughout her hip and shoulder.

Landing on her butt in the grass, Jo scrambled up as she grabbed her piece of wood again. Her body screamed in reluctance, but she ignored it. Staying down would only lead to consequences. Plus, the snails had officially pissed her off now. She was only ready to keep fighting.

One snail came at her again, but she was able to dodge its advances before executing a hard swing of the wood into the snail's pincher. A loud crunch was heard as she smashed it and watched it fly off into the grass.

The sight made her heart squeeze as she didn't actually like hurting creatures. But the moment was short lived as the other snail tried to swing its shell at her again.

Trying to decide her next plan of attack, Jo kept her eyes on the snails in front of her. She wasn't sure what to do anymore. These two were relentless and none of the moves she had used on the others seemed to be effective on these.

Waiting for them to strike her again, Jo lifted her piece of wood like a bat. Maybe the only thing she could do was try to tire these guys out.

Was that even possible?

"Hey!"

Jo jumped as her thoughts were interrupted by a loud voice. She turned to look at the source, feeling her piece of wood nearly slip out of hands at the sight of her backup.

"Two against one? Come on, guys. That's hardly fair," the voice continued as the group came to a stop.

The redhead jumped off of his horse and immediately approached the snail closest to him. He didn't take the time to retrieve a weapon from his belt or even take a piece of wood for protection. Instead, he drove his fists into the snail in any weak spot he could manage. It was obviously effective too, as it instantly fell to the side and passed out in a deep sleep.

The other snail face the same fate as well, only it was caused by Sam and Remington's own blows to its shell and head.

"Been a long time since we've fought one of those," Sam said, dusting off her hands.

"You're right about that. I forgot how freaky their eyes are. Something just isn't right about them," Rem voiced, kneeling down to get a closer look.

Jo watched them, her chest heaving as she still clung to her makeshift weapon. The two Corps seemed so calm, so collected. Meanwhile, she was a bundle of nerves - and pain, for that matter. Now that the adrenaline was dying down further she could feel the blows she had taken flaring up in pain.

She could also feel a pair of eyes, causing her to become aware of the man standing in front of her.

Her gaze shifted over and their eyes met, causing her breath to catch. The cause of the reaction was unknown, and she hoped it was also unnoticed.

His eyes, though. They showed frustration. A furrowed brow laying over them that made Jo feel as if he were displeased.

"Are you alright?" He finally spoke. His voice was rough and serious, but there was also something reassuring within it.

Jo nodded. "I'd like to think so."

Despite her words, he took a step forward, his eyes studying her in order to make sure it was okay. Jo didn't do anything to stop him, nearly eager to see what he was planning on doing with the closed space.

She felt before she saw. His fingertips brushed against her arm right below where the snail had cut her. The wound itself stung and was obviously bleeding, but the area below was burning in a different way.

What was going on?

"Hurt anywhere else?" He asked, his hand now holding her wrist as he looked around to inspect her.

"Shoulder and hip. Left side. One of the snails got me pretty good with its shell," she told him. "Cheap shot, if you ask me." It took everything in her to keep her voice steady as a lot of her focus was drawn to the rough skin of his thumb on the inside of her wrist.

"Right. We should get that checked out," he told her before pulling his hand away.

The instant lack of contact made her skin feel cold for more reasons than one. However, it also gave her the chance to clear her head. Quite literally, as she gave herself a little shake.

She didn't like the reaction that she had just felt from even the smallest touch. Not even any small touch, but from him.

Arlo.

She didn't even know him. She met him yesterday. And yet, he set her skin ablaze in the strangest of ways.

Why was that?

Choosing not to dwell on it in the middle of the field with a bleeding arm and Arlo still looking at her, Jo tried to fill herself with her usual spirit and confidence.

You just haven't been yourself. That's all. New town, different life, no old friends beside you. That's why the smallest touch from a stranger is getting to you so bad. It's the longing.

Managing to calm herself down, Jo looked at her arm and then back at Arlo. This time she felt more control and ease.

"A walk up to the infirmary for me then?" She asked him with a raised brow.

His sudden laugh caught her off guard. The indifferent demeanor she had experienced from him was slightly torn apart. And she had to admit, she wasn't sad about it.

"No, no. Better to do it by horseback. Don't need you walking all the way up on a wobbly hip. I'd never forgive myself," he told her. He then walked back to his horse, signaling his team as he went.

"But… I don't have a horse," Jo stated, gesturing around her as if he needed a form of proof.

"Yes," Arlo replied. "But I do. So perhaps we'll use that, yeah?"

Oh.

"Received and noted," she told him as she walked over to his worse, attempting to move as normal as possible on her wounded hip.

Once beside the horse, she stared up at the distance between its back and the ground, causing her to grow weary of her chances to actually climb up there. Normally it was no problem, but the pain in her hip was going to enable her in some form.

Jo opened her mouth, but Arlo was already pointing to his horse's right side.

"Use your right foot to get up," he instructed. "Shouldn't put too much force on your left hip if you favor the right."

Good point. It was bound to hurt her shoulder from having to pull herself up though. Still, the pain there was more tolerable.

Following his advice, she went to the right side and prepped herself in order to step up. Arlo stood next to her, offering his hand for support as she continued to stall.

Holding on to the straps on the horse, Jo let out a breath before pulling herself up, ignoring Arlo's hand completely. A bite of pain reached her shoulder and even the cut on her arm, but she only gritted her teeth to bypass both. It was a small price to pay, especially because she could tell the pain in her hip was the worst of it.

The moment she settled onto the horse's back, a smile spread across her face. She felt oddly triumphant from the act, even though she had mounted a horse many times before.

"Well done," Arlo mumbled before he began to lift himself up as well. He swung on with ease and grace that probably put Jo's movement to shame.

However, that thought was brushed away as Jo registered how close they were now. She only needed to reach two inches forward in order to touch him. She could even smell traces of the leather on his jacket mixed with something else. Something very specific. Personal.

"Rem, Sam. Will you two go visit Gale and give him an update? Make sure he knows that the snailbobs didn't manage to kill our brand new builder," Arlo told his crew. "I'll take her up the hill and catch up with you afterwards."

"You got it, Arlo," Remington said as he set his horse in motion.

Sam lingered for a moment, lifting an amused brow at Arlo as she grasped her reigns.

"Yes, Sam?" Arlo spoke, not sharing her amusement.

But Sam said nothing in return. Only shot another coy smile before she set off behind Remington.

"What was that look about?" Jo asked aloud without even meaning to.

"I never know with Sam," Arlo answered her. "She gives me that look even when I say I need eggs from the shop. I've learned to stop looking into it."

Jo couldn't help but laugh at this. "Alright, I'll take your word for it."

Especially because she didn't want to read into it either. The look seemed very… insinuating.

Silence fell between them as they both sat atop the horse. Jo's feet dangled to the sides, looking gangly and awkward from her point of view. Or perhaps it was the pause between them making her uneasy.

Finally, Arlo cleared his throat, which made her eyes snap up to the side of his face rather than her own legs. She gazed at the soft red hair that was brushed in multiple directions and even the nice amount of hair on his chin. She hadn't taken much notice to the beard before, but now her eyes were completely drawn to it.

"You may want to hold on," Arlo finally spoke.

Jo's eyes left his beard as she mentally scolded herself for her creepy behavior.

"Oh! Uh, yeah," she replied.

Real articulate, Jo.

She looked around at the straps on the horse that were all too far away to reach. Or the saddle that didn't give her much to grasp on to.

"Ummm," she hummed to herself as her eyes fell back on him.

Welp.

"Do you mind?" Jo asked him, her hands reaching forward as she placed them against his back. It was a simple test of the waters. Certain people didn't like to be touched, which was something Jo had to remind herself of often.

Arlo shook his head before he managed a verbal reply.

"Not at all," he stated. His voice had become softer, much different than the tone he had used to call out commands earlier.

Taking his invitation, Jo moved forward on the horse's back in order to bring herself closer to Arlo. She then slid her hands from his back to wrap around his front instead so she could hug herself to him.

Please don't let him feel my heart beat against his back.

Why is my heart beating that heavy anyway?

"Okay?" Arlo asked.

"Okay," Jo nearly breathed.

She could feel Arlo stiffen under her arms slightly, but she couldn't dwell on it too long before the horse was suddenly lurching forward.

Jo tried not to focus on the feel of Arlo underneath her arms. The fact that her legs were resting on either side of him and her inner thighs would brush him at certain movements.

She figured she should be embarrassed by these kind of touches with a stranger. And yet, she wasn't. Not just because she was a touchy person, but because the whole thing felt…. natural.

Jo swallowed hard as she let the thought sink in. There had to be a reason for that. One that was obvious to anyone if they really thought about it.

And suddenly, it became clear to her. He was the Captain. The leader of the very force that kept this town safe. Of course she felt safe and comfortable with him. It was his job to protect her and everyone else for Pete's sake.

Simple as that.

They reached the top of the hill without Jo even realizing. She hadn't known how long she had sat there with her arms locked around Arlo, but she was sure to immediately remove them when the realization set in.

"See. Not so bad," Arlo said as he climbed off first. "Hope it wasn't too bumpy for you."

"Not at all. Smooth sailing, Captain," Jo replied.

There she went calling him Captain again. When she hadn't even really meant to! It was supposed to be a joke… but obviously it didn't work on an actual Captain.

Steering her eyes away from Arlo, she glanced down towards the ground.

Now was the getting down part. Any kind of impact once she reached the ground was sure to hurt that hip. She wasn't looking forward to that.

"Here," Arlo said, as if reading her thoughts. "Swing your leg over so they're both on the same side."

"Uh okay," Jo responded before doing what she was told.

"Great. Now let me just…" Arlo continued as he reached towards her and placed his hand at her sides, near her waist. She leaned into his hands, holding her breath as she anticipated her feet dropping to the floor - but perhaps with less force with a little assistance from Arlo.

But that wasn't the case. Instead of easing the blow only a little, the minute that Jo slid off the horse, Arlo was supporting her completely. He held her up with ease before lowering her down in front of him - so close that their bodies, and faces even, were only inches apart.

Instinctively, Jo's hands had gone and rested on his shoulders, trying to maintain a further sense of balance as he placed her on the ground. From there, she knew the right thing to do was for her to say thank you and put some distance between them once again. However, she realized that his hands were still on her sides, keeping her there.

Neither of them were moving apart.

Jo's eyes were on his chest, watching the way his bandana would rise and fall with each breath. She didn't know if she could look up at him. It all seemed so odd. It seemed so out of the ordinary for anyone to find themselves in this situation with someone they just met. Well… based on the circumstances.

"There you go," Arlo finally spoke.

Jo swallowed at the sound of his voice. She waited a few seconds for him to step away, but he didn't.

Why wasn't he?

Figuring someone needed to do it, Jo finally took a step back, putting distance between them.

Now it was her turn to clear her throat.

"Infirmary… perfect. Let's go," she confirmed with a nod as she immediately turned in the direction of the hospital.

Thankfully it was the correct direction too.

* * *

How unusual.

The state the two had found themselves in was completely unintentional on Arlo's part. He had only meant to lower her to the ground - not end up nearly nose to nose with her.

However, the fact that he hadn't immediately been inclined to pull away from her was what he really didn't understand. There was no excuse. No reasoning. But she hadn't pulled away either. Not initially.

And then there was the way her arms had wrapped around him or her hands touched his back on the horse. Having others wrapping their arms around him while riding was something Arlo was very familiar with. He had done it with Nora, Ginger on an occasion, even Tody - but he hated how much his skin prickled when he realized Jo would be holding on the same way.

He also couldn't help but feel like Jo was thrown out of balance by the whole thing too. But then again, she could be acting "off" in general due to the commotion from the afternoon.

Not that he knew enough about her to know what was "off" for her.

Then there was the fact that she was calling him Captain ...

"Pretty great idea to have the infirmary right across from your headquarters," Jo broke through his thoughts. Her wobbly walking nearly making him chuckle as he pointed his attention to her.

Without even thinking about it, he put a hand on her upper arm. He didn't really grasp her, but placed it there gently just in case he would need to help steady her.

"It has certainly had its perks," Arlo agreed. "Although, I try to keep my injuries to a minimum."

"I can believe it. Considering how you punched that snail thing out earlier. My weakling attempts didn't even compare," Jo chimed in, stumbling as she said this.

His hand became a little firmer, but she was able to steady herself without his help - causing him to relax it again.

"You probably wore him out," Arlo offered, the side of his mouth perking up.

"Oh, most definitely," Jo instantly stated, the confidence behind it causing Arlo to laugh again. "The splinters I gave him just needed a bit more time to settle in. Then I would have had him."

Arlo shook his head, still smiling as his hair flopped in his eyes.

Before he could respond, the doors to the infirmary opened to reveal a familiar blonde ready to greet them.

Crap.

"There you two are," Phyllis spoke. "We just caught word of what happened. Come in, come in."

She waved them inside now, but not before shooting Arlo a coy look that didn't seem appropriate for the moment. Not that she likely cared.

The same way Arlo hadn't cared to remember that she would be here when he arrived with Jo. And now, for whatever reason, he felt unsettled. He wanted to sneak a glance at Jo, but didn't dare.

Entering the infirmary, Arlo continued to assist Jo inside before helping her settle into one of the chairs.

"Thanks," she said as she sat back, making a sound of discomfort as she adjusted her left hip.

He wanted to ask if she needed anything, but couldn't manage as Xu appeared at her side. The expression he wore showed more concern than Arlo had ever seen from the doctor.

"What happened? Where are you in pain? Oh, your arm. We can clean and wrap that right away. Is that it? Any other body wounds we should know about?"

Xu finished his interrogation by scanning Jo's body in a less than innocent manner. Hell, it didn't even seem to be in a "medical" manner. Arlo could no longer hold his tongue.

"Her hip and shoulder were hit. Probably more of a bruising than open wound. She's fine for the most part," he informed Xu, trying to mask any annoyance in his voice.

"She can also speak for herself," Jo spoke up, instantly causing Arlo's eyes to snap to her again. Though Arlo could tell she meant the words, he could also hear how she was teasing him.

"The snail thing - "

" Snailbob," Arlo corrected her, choosing the same teasing tone.

She shot him a scowl as she shook her head. "Fine, snail BOB hit me pretty hard with its shell. I'm sore, but I figure some ice will probably do."

"Well, I'd feel better if we took a further look," Xu spoke up. His eyes were on her left hip now, knowing fully well he would have to adjust some clothing to see anything.

Arlo nearly spoke up again, but Jo beat him to the punch.

"Don't think that's necessary. I'll try the ice and let you know if it gets worse," Jo stated. Her words were solid as if set in stone.

"That's a good idea," Phyllis said, appearing at Jo's side with gauze. "You just keep us updated, Jo."

"Thanks, Phyllis," Jo said, shooting the woman a smile before making a pained face.

Phyllis had poured some mixture over the wound on Jo's arm, probably as a way to clean it.

"You good?" The question fell from Arlo's mouth as he watched her expression. A sudden urge fled through him to smooth the crease between her brows with the pad of his thumb.

Hands are better kept to ourselves.

Especially with Phyllis' eyes on you.

Quite literally - the woman was staring at him as she prepared the gauze now. How could she be so focused on him when she had a patient?

Maybe it was because Xu was invested in Jo enough for the both of them.

This was the weirdest doctor's visit he had ever encountered. That was for sure.

"Peachy keen," Jo finally answered, now smiling at him despite her tensed shoulders.

"Maybe I should get one of those stuffed animals to distract you. Works for the kids," Arlo said, teasing her once again.

"Oh ha, ha . I'm injured, not a baby," Jo threw back at him.

"I see no difference," Arlo challenged once more.

He wore a cheeky smile as he stared down at her, noticing the upturn in her lips that she was trying to hide.

"Too tight?" Phyllis asked as she finished the gauze on Jo's arm.

And the moment was over.

He mentally kicked himself.

The moment? Really?

"No," Jo said, now turning her attention to the blonde. "Feels good."

She then turned to look at Xu, which instantly pleased him.

"What do you say, doc? Am I gonna live?"

Her question made Arlo bite back a laugh.

"Yes, I'd say so," Xu said patting her right arm. He then turned to his nurse and nodded towards the cabinets of supplies. "Phyllis would you be able to grab some ice packs now."

Arlo noticed Jo's face fill with confusion as she watched Phyllis go before turning back to Xu.

"But I can just do that at home. I'm sure I can get some ice and -" she spoke before getting cut off.

"It's just a precaution," Xu reassured her. "You should stay and put ice on each area for about an hour to be safe. Then you're free to ice it at home as needed."

Jo wrinkled her nose as she slid further into the chair. "Fine."

Boy, was someone stubborn.

Phyllis then came back with the ice, helping Jo place a pack on her shoulder and her hip.

"You don't have to stay, Arlo," Jo spoke, causing his eyes to immediately meet her.

It was the first time she had actually used his name - and for some reason he enjoyed hearing her say it.

So much that he nearly forgot what she had said to him.

"Alright…" he said, glancing at Phyllis and Xu. He didn't necessarily like the idea of leaving Jo alone with the two of them.

Xu was expressing a whole new level of sliminess even for him - making Arlo weary of his intentions.

And Phyllis was… well with everything going on between them… she was just… yeah.

But why did that matter when it came to Jo?

"Right then," Arlo finished. "I'll leave you to it."

He was about to say his final goodbye as he watched Jo's eyes widen suddenly.

"My jacket! I left it in the field," she spoke aloud.

"I'll get it," he answered her immediately, holding up a hand as a gesture of reassurance.

"If it's not too much trouble," she told him. "I'd appreciate it, Arlo."

And there she went saying his name again.

"No problem, Jo," he said, his voice dipping as her name left his mouth.

Not choosing to dwell on the thoughts popping into his head, Arlo turned his attention to the other two occupants in the room, offering them both a nod.

"Thank you for the help," he told them both.

Xu gave him a curt nod before focusing his attention on Jo again, much to her dismay.

Phyllis on the other hand, gave him a wave of her fingers and a wink as she watched him backup to the door.

He only gave her a small smile before his eyes fell to Jo again. He couldn't help himself as his last sentiment fell from his lips.

"Jo."

And then came the response he had been hoping for.

"Arlo."


	3. Chapter 3

Jo stood in front of the board, her arms crossed and lips gently pursed as she looked over the papers in front of her. There were about five different posts collected and she was trying to read each one thoroughly as she gauged what would be the best "starting point."

The idea of fulfilling a commision and building something for someone else was daunting to her. Of course she had built things before, but they were mainly for herself or as gifts. None of her products had ever been a request or necessity. It brought a whole new level of pressure into the picture.

Figuring she should start off easy, Jo began to reach for a commision posted by Lucy for two simple chairs. After all, she had built a rocking chair for her neighbor less than a year ago - if she could do that then this should be easy. However, before she could grab it, another hand beat her there and pulled it down.

"Aw, too slow, kid," the voice next to her spoke, the tone nasally and snide.

Kid?

"Higgins," Jo stated, annoyance coating her voice as she looked at him.

"You should leave these jobs to the big boys. Meaning me," he told her, smirking as he waved the paper in her face.

Jo huffed. "If you're such a 'big boy' then why don't you take one of the bigger jobs? That ones just for some chairs."

"Hmm," he began.

God, she wanted to kick him right in his stupid, little shins.

"You're right," he stated with a nod. "I think I'll take both."

In one quick movement, Higgins was reaching up to take another sheet off the board - this one labeled with a "B."

"Thanks for the tip, kid ," he sneered as he backed away towards the front entrance. He held up both papers to her as he went, pride coating his features.

" Unbelievable ," she breathed as he exited. Her fists were clenched to her sides, her blood boiling in her stomach and chest.

She groaned, her brows pulling together as she turned back to the board. Reminders to "be the bigger" man danced through her head, even though everything in her wanted to chase him down and tackle him for the paper.

Taking a tight breath in, Jo followed it with a slow breath out as she focused on slowing the thumping in her chest.

What would he do in this situation? Focus on that, Jo.

Taking her own advice, Jo decided to snag a commission from Django regarding a needed tea table. At least the task would be a similar concept. Plus, now that Higgins had pissed her off she was ready to build the best darn tea table anyone had ever seen. She wanted to rub it right in his squirmy face.

Leaving the guild, Jo jogged home in an attempt to not lose her motivation. She had planned to take a trip down to Alice's Flower Shop to buy a succulent that morning and maybe even Martha's bakery for some breakfast - but now neither seemed important. Her hunger had completely disappeared and was replaced with determination.

The minute she passed through her gate, she went to work. Her jog back had bothered her injuries that were still sore from yesterday's spar with the snailbobs, but she ignored them. The only things that mattered right now were the quick movement of her hands, the correct supplies, the proper tools. Time was of the essence, but so was the quality. She didn't just want the job done quickly, she wanted it done right.

Lost in her actions, Jo began cutting up wood, sanding it, mending it in place. It was as if someone was there coaching her through each step, ensuring that she wasn't going to fail on her first real job. However, it was only Jo and the wood. Perhaps the real third member of the party was pure instinct.

After connecting the last leg to the tea table, Jo set it upright before leaning her weight into the top. The cut on her arm stung as she pressed, but she hardly acknowledged it due to the excitement rushing through her. The table was sturdy and didn't show any sign of faltering under the pressure.

Yes.

Studying her work, she quickly thought of what it needed and headed back to her wooden chest. But she was stopped short when she heard someone clear their throat.

She turned abruptly to look at who was standing behind her, taken aback as her eyes fell on a familiar face.

And a fire erupted in her stomach.

Would you quit it?

"Arlo," she stated, blinking a few times at the man across from her. "How long have you been standing there?"

He let out a small laugh as he smiled at her. "Long enough. I didn't have the heart to break your focus. Which was impeccable, by the way."

"I'll take that as a compliment, I guess," she told him as she took the rag hanging out of her pocket to try and wipe off some sawdust on her hands. "Afterall, tea tables are really the most advanced project a builder can take on."

"Oh," Arlo responded with a nod. "Don't I know it. Windmills and generators don't even come close."

Now was Jo's turn to laugh. And it felt… exquisite. She had been wound up all morning after her interaction with Higgins - so much that her jaw was tight from tensing it so hard. But Arlo's presence was bringing her back down to Earth. It was just what she needed.

Not him in particular. Just someone to help ease her. Anyone. Definitely not just him.

"So what brings you here?" Jo asked, throwing her towel to the side. "Or does the Captain of the Civil Corps visit all members of the community every morning?

Arlo smirked, shaking his head. The movement caused his red hair to tousle on top of his head. Jo couldn't help but shift her eyes up to admire it.

Admire it? No, no. Definitely not.

Swallowing hard, she was relieved when he started talking and helped wave off her thoughts.

"Wouldn't that be something... " he began. "But no. I...uh… thought you'd like this back."

He lifted his right hand out to her, showing that he had been holding her green jacket this entire time. She hadn't even noticed as she had been focused...elsewhere.

That's right. Your jacket.

"Oh," Jo responded. She moved towards him, reaching out a hand to take it from him. "You didn't have to come all this way to give it to me. I could have just stopped by the Civil Corps later to pick it up."

Jo wasn't sure that she actually meant the words, but it felt like the right thing to say. After all, he had already done enough for her - when she hadn't even asked. Between knocking out snailbobs and taking her all the way up the hill via horseback, she felt as if she was completely in his debt.

"Figured this would be easier," he said, but Jo could see him swallow hard. The reaction caused her head to tilt slightly to the side. "Besides, I didn't think you should be making the trip up there on that hip."

He gestured towards her now, his eyes sliding to the left side of her body. However, it was clear that his gaze was respectful, innocent. Unlike Xu's the day before. God, she had wanted to slip right out of that seat based on how the doctor had been staring at her. She didn't care how much her hip hurt then - she would have gladly ran all the way home just to avoid him.

"I appreciate that," she said, focusing instead on the respectable man in front of her.

"Speaking of which," he started again. "Why on Earth are you up and moving so much this morning? You should be resting."

Jo laughed at this. "Oh, no. I'm much too restless by nature to do that. Besides, it doesn't hurt that bad." She turned away from him, trying to prove a point as she went to reach for her paintbrush and gloss in order to finish the tea table.

But her motions were incomplete as she heard Arlo hum. Then came the touch that had her straighten up immediately.

He was right next to her now, his advances having been silent as he had left his spot feet away and come to her. Jo's lips parted as she stared up at him, unsure of herself as she anticipated his next move.

And his eyes were on hers too, his features soft as he stared at her.

What was he doing?

Seconds felt like minutes as they stood there, but soon Jo realized why he had approached her.

Without saying a word, Arlo's fingers were brushing her left shoulder, pulling down the fabric of her cardigan as he revealed the bare skin underneath. What was left was the deep bruise that had already formed on Jo's skin from yesterday's events. She didn't even have to look over to confirm it was there.

Arlo's eyes left hers as he stared at the spot now, nodding to it as the smallest of smiles sat on his lips.

Like he had known.

"That says otherwise," he said, referring to her statement before.

His hand was still pressed against her left arm, holding the fabric of her sweater down so her shoulder remained exposed.

Her eyes left him - she needed them to in order to clear her thoughts - and she looked over at her shoulder. She hated that he was trying to prove her wrong.

"Well," she said, brushing off his hand so she could slide her sweater back up. "It only hurts when touched."

She shook her head at him, giving a slight scowl. It was teasing, but she couldn't help but feel actual bitterness that he was trying to challenge her word.

"What about your cut? Or your hip, Jo?" he asked her as she reached for her brush and gloss - not allowing him to interrupt this time.

She scoffed at him though, standing up straight again with her needed supplies in hand.

"I am not showing you my hip, Arlo," she told him, shaking her head once more.

The thought of him brushing his fingers over that area was not a thought she needed in her head.

And now it was in her head.

"I wasn't asking you to show me your hip," Arlo retorted, his voice light as he raised an amused brow.

Oh.

"I know that," she said, shrugging him off as she went back to the tea table.

She could feel his eyes on her back as she kneeled down, the movement causing her to hiss in a quick breath as a stab of pain hit her hip.

"Jo, come on. You really should be resting," he persisted.

"Would you stop your worrying? I'm fine. Besides, I'm almost done," she told him.

Arlo walked over, standing on the other side of the tea table as he stared down at her. She was aware of his disapproving look as his hands were placed on his hips.

"Oh yeah? But then what do you plan to do after this?" he asked.

She pursed her lips, not meeting his gaze as she began to add gloss to the wood in front of her.

"I don't see how that's important," she told him.

"Are you going to rest?" he continued.

"If you'd like to call it that - sure," she said. She felt her skin becoming electric at their back and forth - not daring to let a smile slip onto her face.

"And what does Jo's form of rest look like then…?" he asked.

She nearly laughed.

"Curling up with a nice hammer and sheets of glass to fix some broken windows," she said, unable to keep the smirk out of her voice.

And now Arlo groaned as she could see him shake his head in her peripherals.

It felt inexplicably good to tease him. To make him frustrated.

Although her eyes remained focused on her work, she could make out Arlo coming down to a low squat in front of her - just on the other side of the table. The burn of his gaze nearly brought a flush to her cheeks, but she continued to dig deep to keep herself at bay.

"You are beyond stubborn, you know that?" he told her, his voice dipping low.

A tight shock ran through her chest as she nodded. "So I've been told."

Arlo huffed. "Will you at least try to sit in a chair while you do it?"

Now she looked over at him.

"That sounds ridiculous," she told him, laughing. "It's like the 'lazy builder's' approach."

"Or," he jumped in. "The 'cautious and smart builder's' approach… considering that builder is hurt ."

"Not that hurt ," she mocked him.

"Jo!" he said, but his disapproving tone was less received due to the laugh that accompanied it.

" Arlo , I told you. I'm fine," she tried again, still continuing his brush strokes. "I built this entire table while 'hurt,' didn't I?"

Besides, she wasn't even his to worry about.

Well, technically , she kind of was… considering he was the head of the people in this town sworn to keep everyone safe.

Irrelevant!

"Yes," he breathed, obviously not wanting to admit it. "But just because you did it doesn't mean that it was a good idea."

"You say that," she began. "But you're not the one who has to face Higgins if you get behind on commissions. Imagine what people would think if I hadn't started helping out."

She stood now, moving to her left to get to the end of the table. Which also meant that she had shifted closer to where he was still lowered.

"People will understand considering they know what happened yesterday," he tried. "Besides, you don't have anything to prove."

His last words rang in her ears, nearly making them turn red. Her tongue moved to poke into her cheek as she continued to let the sentiment sink in.

If you only knew.

"Look, it's fine," she said, shooting him a glance. "I promise to take breaks and be careful. I know I won't be much good if I push it too hard."

Now her gaze was back on her work, but she could feel Arlo's eyes become less piercing. She didn't even need to look at him to know the stare had grown softer.

"Fine," he said, his voice a little reluctant. "You win this time, Jo."

Her stomach flipped at the words. Why did she enjoy that so much?

"But, I insist you relax tonight," he told her. He stood up from his spot, and for some reason Jo followed suit.

"Rem, Sam, and I will be going to the Round Table tonight. You should join us," he said, his tongue passing over his lips quickly.

The action nearly distracted her.

"I know Sam wanted to invite you, so I figured I would take it upon myself," he continued.

She chuckled. "What a hero."

"Thank you," he nodded.

"Well…" Jo said, looking down at her work. It was nearly finished - and the windows were sure to be long done before their likely meeting time.

"I'm sure I could make it," she said, fiddling with the brush in her hands. She couldn't help but smirk as a thought came into her head, and soon - it was leaving her mouth. "Will Phyllis be joining us?"

The way that Arlo instantly tensed and widened his eyes made an uncontrollable laugh escape her. It was priceless.

"Oh my," she continued to chuckle. "You should see your face."

Arlo cleared his throat, reaching for the bandana around his neck in order to partially loosen it from his skin.

"No, no. She's not," he said, his voice tight. "Why would you think that?"

"Hmmm," she began. "Just couldn't help but notice the glances last night. They were pretty obvious."

Even when Phyllis had been wrapping Jo's arm, she could see how the nurse's attention was still fixed on Arlo. The way she batted her eyelashes at him, pressed her chest out just a little more. Not that she needed to. Phyllis was doing just fine in that area even without the accentuating movement.

Arlo groaned. "She's not the Queen of Subtlety, is she?"

Oh, so there is something going on there? He's not denying it.

Jo took a quick breath in, keeping a smile despite the weird ache growing in her temples.

"Not exactly," she told him, trying to focus on the amusement of the situation. "I almost felt like I should have gone and left you two the room."

She watched as Arlo raised his arm in order to rub the back of his neck. He shrugged at her, suggesting that this wasn't necessarily something he wanted to discuss.

Right. I'm the newbie. Not my business.

"Anyhow," she started. "I shouldn't be butting my nose into your relationship. But I will come tonight. A good chin wag will do me some good."

She smiled at her words, looking to him to see if she would catch her meaning.

His laugh and the drop of his hand from his neck informed her that he had.

"Great, I'm glad. We'll be there around seven. Feel free to come anytime you want," he told her.

"I'll be sure to," she confirmed.

They stared at each other before Arlo shuffled his feet, finally taking some steps towards her gate.

"Thanks again," she said. "For bringing me my jacket."

"My pleasure," he responded. And then he was out of the gate. Gone.

* * *

The Round Table was busier than he had thought it would be that night. Normally it was relatively quiet on Tuesdays, but not on this specific occasion. Almost all of the tables were filled up, whether by larger parties or groups of two. Thankfully, he was glad to see that one of those groups consisted of Sam and Rem already waiting for him.

"Glad to see you managed to get a table," Arlo said, sliding into a seat next to Remington.

"Barely," Sam spoke up. "Apparently Django is doing some sort of 'Tuesday Night Special' now and everyone wants in on it. It has created an invasion."

"Invasion?" Rem chimed in, bringing his drink up to his lips.

"I think your dramatics are a bit much tonight, Sam. Even for you," Arlo said before Sonia appeared to give him his usual drink order.

"It was a lousy day," Sam said, sinking back into her chair as Sonia walked off.

"We'll get Amber Island figured out," Rem reassured her. "Gale said he would talk with Merlin this afternoon and get back to us in the morning. Don't dwell on it too much."

"But we all know that's where all of the stolen stuff is going!" Sam blurted out.

Arlo nodded at her words. They had all sorted that out by now. Only Sam was the one who had grown frustrated when there was nothing she could do right then and there as they stood outside of the cave. Though Sam was a great fighter and problem solver - she definitely needed to work on her impulses.

"And we will get it all back… when it's safe," Arlo told her, his voice lowered and serious.

Sam blew out a frustrated breath through her nose and leaned her head back against the wall behind her.

"Fine."

"Just enjoy the night," Rem said. "I heard they have Salmon Fried Rice on the 'specials' tonight."

She rolled her head on the wall in order to glance across the table, meeting Rem's eyes.

Daggers.

Arlo tapped the table, figuring now was the time to bring up their additional dinner guest for the night - as he had failed to do so earlier.

"Besides, we have a special member joining us for drinks. You have to be on your best behavior,' Arlo said, taking a sip from his glass.

"Who?" Sam asked as her and Rem both shot Arlo a perplexed look.

"The new builder," he informed her.

And then she perked up.

"Seriously?" Sam asked, picking her head up off of the wall. "Oh hell yeah. I've been wanting to go out for a drink with her! She seems like a pretty cool chick."

Rem laughed at this. "A pretty cool chick, huh? And how did you work that out? You barely know her."

"I'll have you know that her and I had some awesome conversations that day I was her tour guide," Sam refuted.

"Mmm," Arlo shook his head. "Once again, you were not her tour guide."

"I showed her where the infirmary was… and our place. That's a tour," she informed him.

"Barely," Arlo continued to tease her.

"You weren't there. You don't know about the beautiful bond we created," Sam said, finishing the bottom of her drink.

"Beautiful bond, huh?"

"We'll be sure to ask Jo all about it when she gets here," Rem said, bumping Arlo's shoulder.

"Fine! Do it! You'll see," Sam said. "Plus, you both know the fact that she fought those snailbobs all on her own was completely badass."

She partially had a point there.

Arlo was about to ask her if she needed another drink, when he became distracted by the front door opening and someone slipping inside.

Jo.

He stared at her as she looked around, searching in every direction except for where they all sat. She had changed since he last saw her - wearing a pullover sweater instead of the cream cardigan he had seen her in that morning. Perhaps it was a product of her needing the warmth in the nightly spring air... or the fact that she didn't want to risk the chance of someone seeing the bruise on her shoulder. Especially him.

Her long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, tendrils framing her face softly in their usual waves. He wondered what it would feel like to twist one of the strands around his finger or even just brush it away from her face.

"Jo!" Sam called, breaking Arlo out of his daydreams. "Over here!"

For once, he was thankful for Sam's brusque nature.

"Hey, guys," Jo said, flashing them all a smile as she reached the table. "Hope it's okay that I'm crashing the party."

"You're always welcome," Sam said, patting the seat next to her. "Take a load off."

"I second Sam's statement," Rem said. "The more the merrier."

Arlo barely registered the laugh that left him before he spoke. "Especially considering Sam here thinks you're a 'pretty cool chick.'"

Rem began to laugh along with Arlo as Sam kicked them both underneath the table.

"You two suck, you know that?" She snapped at them.

Arlo calmed down, running a hand through his hair in order to get it out of his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

He then looked over at Jo, catching the brow she was raising at him before turning her attention to Sam. "What are they going on about?"

Sam sighed. "When Arlo told us you were coming, I mentioned that you were cool - and they decided to be jerks about it!"

Remington jumped in. "To be fair, she also insinuated that you two were the best of friends."

Sam shot Rem daggers once more, opening her mouth to scold him.

But Jo jumped in. "She's the only who actually offered to help show me around town that first day. I'd say that warrants a pretty special bond."

Sam now shifted her eyes to Jo, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth.

"Ah, perhaps that's a women thing, though," Jo continued. "Boys just don't understand."

"Oh. Boys, huh?" Arlo asked, unable to hold his tongue.

"Umm," Jo began, looking up at the ceiling as if to make a big show of her "thinking." "Yeah, I'd say boys is fitting. Wouldn't you, Sam?"

Sam was full on smirking as she nodded and then looked at her teammates. "Yup. Definitely fitting."

Jo nodded to the blonde before turning back to Arlo and giving him taunting shrug, her smile was smug.

Arlo leaned forward, his arms crossed as he leaned his elbows on top of the table - staring her down.

"I was kind enough to invite you along tonight, and this is how you show thanks?" he said, before shooting Rem a look of disapproval. "Can you believe the audacity?"

They both shared sounds of disapproval.

"The fact that you're regretting your decisions is your fault - not mine," Jo informed him.

Arlo looked back at her.

Oh, he wasn't regretting it.

"How about a truce?" she continued. "Especially because I would like to actually enjoy a drink before being dismissed from the table."

Rem laughed. "I can agree to a truce."

"Aw man. I was just enjoying the feminine power thing we had going," Sam pouted, but quickly changed her tune. "But fine. I'll give."

Jo smiled at the girl before her eyes were on him. "Arlo?"

He breathed out a laugh. "I'll play nice as long as you do." His voice dipped down without him meaning to as he tipped his drink to her.

Her tongue flicked over her lips, so fast that one could almost question if it really happened.

But Arlo knew it had.

"For now," she said, meeting his eyes for a few seconds before she cast them to the side. She flagged down Sonia and pointed towards Arlo's drink.

And thank God she had. Her words made him feel warm under his jacket and fellow layers. He didn't need her seeing it on his face.

"Can I do one of those?" she asked the waitress.

"Of course, girl. I'll be right back," Sonia told her, walking off with a swing of her hips.

"You're going to drink one of these?" Arlo asked her.

Jo shrugged. "Yeah, why not?"

"Well, because this can be a lot if you're not careful. Not everyone's taste," he told her.

"Yeah. I, for one, hate the stuff," Sam chimed in.

Jo's expression remained smooth as she only leaned forward onto an elbow positioned on the table. "I'll never know unless I try it for myself. Time and my taste buds will tell."

She was likely in for a surprise.

Arlo wanted to voice this, but was cut off as Rem took over the conversation - posing a question in Jo's direction.

"So, how much do you know about building, Jo?" he asked. "Was it something you did before moving to Portia?"

Their attention fell back on her as Jo simply shook her head.

"No, not at all. Well , that's not completely true. I did some projects here and there, but it wasn't my profession. I don't hold a candle anywhere near my dad. But I'd like to think I'm a quick learner."

Arlo remained silent, but his mind filled with questions. He was nearly taken aback, dumbfounded by the fact that this woman had moved from God knows how far away in order to pursue a lifestyle in an area that she wasn't fully knowledgeable about. A large part of him wanted to poke and prod - asking how and why. But the respectful side of him won the argument - knowing it wouldn't be fair to put her on the spot like that.

Besides, her statement about being a "quick learner" had been so sure, so confident. He couldn't help but believe her.

If only she had learned to take it easy when she obviously needed to.

Arlo replayed the events that occurred that morning from their conversation. They were the same events that he had been playing in his head all day.

Mentally kicking his shins once again.

The conversation had now gotten away from him as Rem was going on about some story from weeks ago. The one concerning their run in with a pack of Flurpees. He was evening talking with his hands, using full antics as he recreated the scene - with Sam's assistance as she jumped in here and there.

Already knowing the story, Arlo found himself continuously sneaking glances towards Jo. Rem's voice became a murmur as he watched her react to the events - leaning her chin into her hand, smiling at parts, laughing at others. She looked… carefree… content. Alive.

Her full cheeks, glowing eyes, and the genuine laughs that would bubble out of her. His breathing had grown slower, nearly heavier as he studied her. The wonder in her eyes was partnered with concentration as she listened to Rem and Sam. One would almost believe that she was actually listening to someone tell her the key to happiness and success. Or the juiciest secret she had ever heard.

"Arlo? Helloooo. Earth to Arlo?"

He shook his head, glancing over to Sam. "Sorry?"

He thanked his lucky stars that his thoughts had somehow left him looking down at his drink rather than continuously focused on Jo. He didn't want to imagine the horror that would occur if they had all witnessed him staring at her for the last five minutes.

They would have likely read into his admiration for her spirit as something else.

Because he could assure his own mind that it was only an innocent admiration.

"We were about to do a toast," Sam informed him. "To our new friend."

"Oh gosh," Jo said, smiling as she attempted to wave them off.

"Shhh, we have to," Sam said. "So, to Jo! For joining our little town."

"And being a 'pretty cool chick,'" Rem added.

Sam shot him a look as she raised her glass - he only gave her a cheeky smile as he brought up his own.

Arlo didn't add his own sentiment. Instead, he picked up his glass and glanced at his other two friends before looking at the girl herself. "To Jo."

She sighed, even with a smile on her face as they clinked glasses. But she also decided to throw in her own toast as they pulled away.

"And to you," she said.

But though she said it to the whole table, Arlo saw the way her eyes shifted over to him.

Briefly, but it was enough.

And then they all took a gulp of their drinks. The liquid refreshing in Arlo's buzzing mind.

To you.


	4. Chapter 4

Turning the paper over in her hand, Jo searched for a time listed - but she couldn't find one. All Emily wrote was for Jo to join them for "supper" and that she wouldn't take no for an answer. However, the girl had not clued her in on what time to actually show up.

Hopefully Jo would run into her at some point and be able to ask. After all, she would normally see Emily passing by her fence a few times during her work day either when watering her crops, collecting weeds, or just heading into town. Today was not the time for any exceptions.

After receiving the note, Jo figured it was only right for her to pick up something to give her new neighbors as a "thank you." Showing up to a dinner party empty handed just screamed rude.

Knowing she didn't have any time to actually cook or bake a single thing, Jo settled for some flowers as her gift. Plus, it gave her a great excuse to snoop around Alice's stand once more.

With the bouquet of flowers in hand, Jo made her way up towards Peach Plaza, saying hi to Pinky as she passed. When reaching the Plaza itself, Jo smiled at the sun shining across the stone paths and building sides. Sunshine was on top of the list of things that made Jo exceptionally happy - anyone who could see her now would have no choice but to agree.

She gazed around, the sound of the fountain filling her ears as she slowed her pace. There were commissions for her to start or finish back at her workshop, but she figured the break wasn't exactly a bad thing.

Arlo would be proud.

She wasn't sure why her mind had instantly jumped to the man. Well, she partially did. It was him who had told her to slow down and rest only days before - though she had decided to ignore his efforts. Still, she wasn't sure how to feel about the fact that her thoughts had conjured him up so quickly.

And maybe even quite literally conjured him up - because now he was suddenly there. She could see him farther up the hill by the empty cafe. Although, he didn't see her.

Instead, his focus was on a young woman next to him. She wore an ensemble made up of mainly yellow while her brown hair ran in a braid. Their conversation seemed light and Jo watched as Arlo kindly smiled at the girl, but kept his body shifted away. Meanwhile, the girl's body language was different. She completely faced him, her eyes glued to him as they passed words back and forth.

Jo hadn't even realized she had come to a complete stop as she was staring at them.

Creeper.

She walked on, tearing her eyes away. Had she met that girl before? She had met so many people that first day in Portia that it was really hard for her to remember.

Oh, wait - yes!

Jo's memory served her well as she recalled the long trip she had to take up the side of, what she had complained to be, a mountain. After passing rocky wooden structures and uneven stone steps, Jo had come across a building - the Church of Light.

The girl had told Jo that she was serving a mission in Portia. She seemed like a nice girl… but now Jo was forgetting her name.

Naomi...Nova…

Nora!

Jo let out a big "ha!" in her head as she remembered, feeling even more foolish. Her entire collection of thoughts from the last three minutes could actually all be considered an embarrassment. Why did she care so much about seeing Nora and Arlo together?

Well, maybe she didn't.

If anything, she just felt that there was something interesting in the way that Nora looked at him.

It was so specific.

It was as if… she believed he put the stars in the sky.

* * *

Having worked all day, Jo was glad that she had made time to shower before coming over to Emily's. Her hair was still air drying, making her natural waves twist messily into one another - but it was better than stinking like sweat and sawdust.

Rapping her fingers against the door, Jo didn't have to wait long before it opened in front of her - revealing Emily.

"Jo!" The girl declared, moving to give her a hug. "I'm so glad you could make it!"

"Thank you for inviting me," Jo said as they pulled apart. "Oh, these are for you." She handed over the flowers now, relieved to see the delight that spread over Emily's face.

"They're wonderful! I'm going to get these into a vase right away. Come in, come in," Emily said, waving Jo inside.

Right as she walked through the doorway, Jo was met with smells that made her stomach rumble. She had hoped that Emily, or the other new company hadn't heard it.

"Welcome, Jo," McDonald shot out as he laid an empty plate on the table. "Hope you're hungry."

"Well, if I wasn't before, I definitely am now," she told him.

As if appearing out of the air, Sophie suddenly gave Jo's back a little push, aiming her towards the table. "In that case, let's eat. The food is ready and there are hungry mouths to feed."

"You two sit," Emily told them. "We'll bring the rest over."

Following their orders, Jo moved to a side of the table and sat down in a chair. Sophie did the same, situating herself in the seat just catty corner to Jo as McDonald and Emily walked back and forth from the counter to the table - delivering a new dish each time. It was a full blown feast.

"Holy… you didn't have to go through all of this trouble," Jo told them, staring around.

"Oh shush, child," Sophie answered. "We are more than capable and more than willing. Now eat up."

Jo pressed her lips together as she tried to hide her smile. Still, she took the woman's advice and began to join in on their process of scooping food onto her plate and passing any dishes requested. She hadn't done something of this sort since the Autumn Harvest in her own town three years ago.

The room began to fill with their voices, mainly of Jo's hosts as she listened to their stories. The glow of the lighted flames in their fireplace made the walls dance behind them - making them look like travelers sharing the tales of their journeys. Even Sophie's small frame and soft exterior seemed grand in their intimate space. Jo wanted to write stories starring her three dinner companions - making them each a strong wizard, warrior, or animal tamer. Unfortunately, she knew she didn't possess the talent to do it.

"I remember that was the first night I met your Pa," McDonald said as he continued his story. "I'll never forget it. He was the one who suggested we bury ourselves in hay in order to lose Aadit and his father on our heels. But we learned our lesson and never dared to steal apples for the farm again."

"Good thing too," Sophie said. "Or else I would have started putting needles and pitchforks in that hay for you boys to find."

"Ouch, Granny," Emily spoke up with a laugh.

"Well, serves them right. After all those apples they've given us," Sophie said, giving McDonald a disapproving shake of her head.

"Oh, Sophie, come on. Those were different times. We were kids," he told her.

"You were friends with my Pa?" Jo jumped in after waiting her turn. She had set her fork down, no longer as interested in the delicious food in front of her.

McDonald suddenly seemed embarrassed, as if he hadn't fully realized what he had said before.

"Y-yes," he stuttered out. However, he captured control over the rest of his words. "Some would say we were pretty darn close."

"He used to spend a lot of night's with us - for supper. While they were just boys and even as they became men," Sophie explained.

An ache grew in Jo's chest and throat.

"What was he like?" She asked, unable to help herself. "...Fr.. from your point of view, that is…."

McDonald shot a look at Sophie, who gave him a nod as she closed her eyes.

"Your Pa was one of the best people I've ever known." The man's voice was softer now, more gentle. He didn't dare touch his fork either. "We met forty years ago and have been friends ever since. Up until the end."

The word end shook through Jo, rattling her right down to her toes. It nearly took her breath away.

When she had told Emily that first day in town that she didn't mind talking about her Pa - she had meant it. But now, with McDonald's word, she felt otherwise. She had wanted to talk about her father - she had been the one to ask, after all - but now there was something within her feeling indifferent.

Maybe it was because no one had really talked to her about her father so far. It was a lot easier to decide your emotions when you didn't really have to face the situation itself.

Or maybe it was because McDonald actually shared an intimate past with her father. Something she hadn't really ran into before. And now it made the lump in her throat growing sore and full.

Swallow it.

"Did he love Portia?" she asked him, her fingers tapping delicately against the table top as she continued on.

McDonald nodded slowly. "He did. He said he never wanted to leave. Only time he did was when…"

He didn't need to finish his statement. Both he and Jo knew what he was referring to.

Was when he chased after my mom… and they had me.

But then he had come back.

"We missed him," Sophie chimed in. "But your father always had an act for doing the right thing."

Jo looked at her now, seeing Sophie's wise eyes on her.

"And you were the right thing," she finished.

Now Jo's chest grew tighter. How could the woman say that? She barely knew Jo. She barely knew Jo's mother. For all she did know, Jo's mother and her could be terrible people who only tore her father apart.

Though, they hadn't been. Jo's father coming back to Portia was a completely civil decision. She wondered if the folks sitting in front of her knew that.

She also wondered if they knew about the letters she had sent to her father. The dozens of notes begging him to come back to her, but he never did. However, she eventually felt selfish for her behavior - which was beginning to resurface based on the stories, and even expressions, from her current company.

"I'm glad he came back," Jo said, trying to makeup for the thoughts that had passed through her mind. Though they couldn't read them, she still felt like she owed the words to them.

Sophie smiled, her hand suddenly on top of Jo's. The touch made Jo's heart squeeze as she stared at the woman's wrinkled skin. She wanted to thank her - for more reasons than she understood.

"Mc… grab the photo album, would you?" Sophie said, her eyes raising to Jo's. "Would you like to see some photos of your father?"

Jo took a slow breath in as her eyes cast downward.

Would she? She wasn't so sure.

However, when she looked up and saw the leather bound book residing in McDonald's hands - she answered instantly.

"Yes. I would love that."

They placed the album in front of her as Emily scooted in closer, her shoulder brushing against Jo's right. Emily helped her open the book, flipping towards pages as if she knew the exact location of each photo.

"This is one of my favorites," Emily told her as she pointed.

On the page, Jo could see a photo of her father kneeling down on one knee, smiling at the camera as he had his arms wrapped around some sort of animal on each side.

Jo laughed. "Oh my God. What are those things?"

"They're Colorful Llamas," Emily informed her. "They're right near your house. Haven't you seen them?"

Jo shook her head as she stared at the photo still.

"Well, you're bound to at some point. They loved your Pa. He was always feeding and petting them. Even brought them blankets sometimes."

Now they were flipping to a new page.

"Ah, there's your Pa and me," McDonald pointed to two photos at the bottom. They were a set - the same occasion, but separate poses. The men looked more like boys with their floppy hair and tanned skin.

"Oh, and there's one from when your dad tried to ride a horse for the first time. Got knocked right off," McDonald told her with a hoot.

Sure enough, the photo displayed a young version of her father as he laid laughing on his back, the horse running away in the background.

Jo could feel her cheeks growing warm, another lump growing in her throat as they turned to the next page. The three others had their eyes only focused down on the pages, pointing more photos out to her and explaining the history behind each.

One from when her father had tried to cook Sophie a meal in her own kitchen and nearly set the stove on fire.

One from where her father won third place in the Workshop Ranking and held up his prizes to the camera.

One from where he seemed to be looking for a hammer, while McDonald stood in the corner of the photo - obviously hiding it.

All these moments. These were moments of her father's life that had all occurred without her there. Not only because she wasn't born yet, but because they had been apart.

It was like seeing a piece of you, but not knowing if you could call it yours.

"Oh, and here's this one... " Sophie said, sliding a photo out of it's plastic covering before Jo could see it.

She stared at it in her hands, a sad smile resting on her lips before she slowly handed the photo to Jo.

"This one's my favorite."

Jo took the photo from her without saying a single word. She turned it to sit upright as she stared at the image in front of her.

Her fingers came up to brush the shiny, gloss that laid over the photo - keeping the colors vibrant and intact, though it was obviously old.

It was her. And him. She had to be four or five, wrapping one arm around his leg as she held a plastic screwdriver in her little hand. Her father stood feet above her in old jeans and a plaid shirt as he held up a real screwdriver. They both had the fullest grins on their face, Jo's set of teeth gapped and crooked.

Each breath kept hitching in her chest as her nose started to run.

It was before. Before he had moved back to Portia. It had to be one of the last photos that they had taken together considering that was around the time he left. Jo had never seen it.

Where did Sophie get this?

She had remembered that day, though. That whole time period in her life. When her father would start a project for someone in the neighborhood - either building something completely new or fixing something that had been broken. And Jo would insist on helping as she carried out her plastic tool belt, put on a pair of his work goggles that were much too big, and utter their shared catchphrase.

"Nothing we can't build."

Jo let out a shaky breath, suddenly becoming aware of herself.

She was crying. Thick tears were streaming down her face and she sniffling like a madwoman to prevent anything dripping from her nose. Her cheeks were likely fully flushed red now, only growing deeper in color as she tried to wipe the tears away. Complete embarrassment swept over her as she placed the photo down on the table and turned away to her left.

"I'm sorry," Jo said, grabbing her napkin in order to dab her nose and cheeks.

Damn her emotions for getting the best of her.

Jo felt a hand touch her back, rubbing side to side gently as she began to steady her breath.

"It's alright, Jo," Emily voiced.

"We should be the ones apologizing," McDonald said. "Should have known better than to bring out the photo album."

Jo shook her head, trying to tell them it was okay - but she didn't completely trust her voice yet. Taking a few more breaths, she turned back to face front again. Underneath her eyes felt raw as she wiped away one last tear, catching the way that Sophie was looking at her.

The woman's eyes were curious, her lips pressed tightly together as she was conscious of Jo's features. Her gaze grew more serious almost making Jo feel pined.

"You should take the photo," Sophie told her. "I think it's better in your hands."

What?

"No, no," Jo began, waving her hands in front of the album. "I couldn't."

"You can," Sophie jumped in. "And you will."

Jo looked down to Sophie holding the photo out to her again.

Emily was now up, clearing away dishes as McDonald assisted her in bringing them to the sink. Perhaps they figured she needed the space.

"It may not seem like it right now," Sophie began again. "But you need that photo."

Jo swallowed hard as she took the photo from Sophie and held it gently in her fingertips. She tried to keep her mind clear as her eyes shifted down to the photo again - her vision was blurred as she didn't fully register the image.

"Thank you," Jo said, not completely sure what she was thanking the woman for anymore. It could have been any part of the night.

Sophie didn't say a word, only squeezed her hand again before slowly getting up.

"Now… for a nice cup of tea before bed."

* * *

The town was quiet. It seemed like most had called it an early night as windows were black and the streets were cleared already - well before even ten o'clock.

Arlo had apparently missed the memo. Rather than being tucked away in bed, he was sitting on top of his horse as they made their way through Peach Plaza. He was on a late round as a result of some "skin crawling" sounds that had been heard coming from Western Beach. Or so the Hulu brothers had told him earlier that day.

Passing out of the main entrance, Arlo continued down the path. His hands adjusted on his reigns as he became aware of the small house that sat to the left of him. He tried to keep his eyes ahead, but he felt them sliding over regardless. The lights inside were also out, suggesting that the owner had taken a chapter from the rest of the town's book.

Not that he knew of her schedule. Going to bed early could be a normal occurrence for her.

Continuing on, he could see some items sitting in her yard that were each their own beautiful creation. Even from where he was, he could see the seamless structure of hardwood couches, water tanks, and even a partially finished Dee Dee stop.

The words quick learner began to echo through his head.

Sliding his eyes away, Arlo continued down the path with a smile now spreading on his face. The thought to bring a hand up to smooth it from lips passed through his mind, but he never managed. Instead, the smile fell away on its own as he caught sight of something in the grass twenty feet away from Jo's fence.

Or rather someone.

Pressing on, Arlo got closer before he could actually make out the scene in front of him.

There she was. Laying on her back with her arms behind her head as they served as a pillow. She hadn't noticed him as her eyes remained upwards, clouds of air coming from her lips as the spring weather had turned colder for the night.

Arlo slowed his horse, the image of her making it incapable for him to move on. But only because he had known he should check on her. What kind of public protector would he be if he hadn't?

"Everything okay, Jo?"

The puff of air from Jo's lips was suddenly sucked in as her head turned to look at him.

"Oh, Arlo," she began, not getting up from her spot on the ground. "You startled me."

"Apologies," Arlo offered, steadying his horse's antsy feet. "I just wanted to check on you. It's getting late and quite cold out here."

"Mmm," Jo said, turning her head forward again so her eyes looked upwards. "Yeah…. I'll head in soon. I just needed the fresh air to clear my head."

Her words reminded him of the day before, when she had insisted he not fret over her injuries. It was another case of Jo trying to fend for herself, it seemed.

Arlo laughed. "This looks more like you trying to purposely get yourself sick. You definitely won't be able to keep up your commissions with a nasty head cold."

His tone was light, the same teasing they had shared before. It was a safe place among them that he couldn't help but to return to. To enjoy.

But maybe tonight was not the right time for that.

Her eyes remained upward, not even caring to respond to his words - which caused his brows to pull together. She was looking up at the sky as if waiting for something to appear in the stars. What that could be - he wasn't sure of.

"Jo..." he began.

She surprised him by speaking up, her voice just loud enough for him to hear.

"Do you ever just feel… so sorry for something that isn't even your fault?" she said, her question pointed up towards the stars.

He released a breath, her words melting into his skin - causing his brow to furrow deeper instead of smoothing away the crease.

Her question laid in his hands and he wasn't sure how to take care of it or hand it back to her. He desperately wanted to give her the answer that she was searching for in the sky, but they both had known he couldn't.

He opened his mouth, not sure of what to try, but she spoke again.

"I'm sorry, Arlo," she breathed out another cloud. "Do you think I could be alone? I'm not much of myself right now."

Silence fell through the night air as they remained in their respective spaces. Even as he still stared at her, he felt as if he had already left. As if she were floating above him, not ready to come back down to Earth just yet.

Without uttering another word, Arlo felt his shoulders and arms grow heavy before he flicked movement through his reigns, kicking his horse's sides. He did as she asked, as he believed she needed.

He left in silence, knowing she didn't need anymore noise.


	5. Chapter 5

The heels of his hands rubbed his eyes momentarily before falling back on either side of his head as he began to blink up at his ceiling. The room was dark, his alarm the only indicator that it was actually morning.

"Right," he said with a yawn as he propped himself onto his elbow. Was he unusually tired this morning or what? He didn't even have an excuse.

Getting out of bed, he ran his hands through his hair a few times - attempting to tame the wild locks sticking out of place. Then he got dressed, pulling on his usual uniform and making sure to finish it off with his bandana.

The words written across it were always enough to push him through his bedroom door instead of climbing back into bed. Even though his bed looked very tempting right now…

Outside.

Arlo listened to his inner coach, leaving his bedroom and making sure to chug down a quick glass of water. He thought to splash some of it face to snap him out of whatever drowsy cloud had decided to hang over him this morning.

Heading towards the entry, he grabbed his gloves off of the front desk. He slipped them on as he used his back to push the door open and allow the morning air to brush against his bare ears, to stab into his cheeks.

Bloody spring. Where is the warm weather anyway?

Turning forward, Arlo's attention was still pointed downward as he tried to get his gloves placed just right. He was even going as far as using his teeth to move the gloves fully over her palms. Really, he should have spent more time trying to get them set when he was inside. The chill in the air had cramped his fingers practically making them useless.

As his teeth pulled, he looked up and caught sight of something that instantly made him drop his hand from his mouth.

"Jo…?" he spoke.

She was sitting on the stone ledge only feet away, but she had been turned away - her attention on the view rather than his front door.

But now she looked over at him.

"Oh, Arlo!" she said, jumping up from her seat.

Once standing, Arlo was able to see what she was wearing. Her hair was in a high ponytail as she wore a zip up jacket, some shorts, and running shoes.

"How are you not freezing to death?" his thoughts came streaming out.

Jo glanced down at herself now, looking as though she hadn't even realized what she was wearing.

He couldn't help but look too. It was the first time that he had seen her bare legs, the skin appearing soft and tan despite the weather likely draining some color.

You're staring. Stop staring.

His eyes shifted back up to her face just in time, avoiding the chance of getting caught.

"I hadn't really noticed," she told him. "I woke up, and had this nagging thought so I kind of acted out of impulse."

He chuckled. "Really? Doesn't sound like you at all."

She wrinkled her nose slightly at him. "Oh yeah? You've got me all figured out?"

Not even close.

He answered the question honestly in his head. There were characteristics he had been picking up - her...spontaneous nature being a big one. However, seeing her the other night in the grass also proved that there was so much more to learn.

If he'd ever learn it.

"Yeah, perfectly. Did I not mention my secret power as Captain of the Corps? I know everything about a person after two seconds of meeting them," he told her.

Jo gasped, shaking her head at him. "Traitor."

"I prefer rogue spy," he stated.

She laughed at this, causing him to smile. He was glad to see that she was feeling better.

"Anyway, let's go back to the beginning so I can explain why I'm here," she told him.

Oh, right. That.

"I know it probably seems silly," she began again. "But I wanted to apologize for the other night."

He quirked a brow, his hands moving to rest on his hips.

"I don't really think there is anything you should be apologizing for," he told her. And he meant it. She hadn't done anything wrong or hurt his feelings in any way. She didn't owe him any sort of apology.

"On my end there is," she said. "I know it was a little awkward and I felt like I projected my pity party on you briefly. It wasn't fair of me."

He felt his expression shift, his indifference wearing on his face.

"I appreciate that then, I suppose," he stated. "Only… you shouldn't be apologizing to the person who had intruded on you."

She waved this off. "I was laying in a field in the middle of the night. In low temperatures. You were concerned and just doing your job."

Had he been just doing his job? He didn't know if that was necessarily the case...

Well, maybe he partially had been. But only by coincidence. His checking in on her had not been his duty to the town, but was caused from his own personal concern.

Was that an issue?

"Let's call it that, then," Arlo said, realizing his statement sounded a bit off.

A small wave of surprise passed over Jo's face, but he watched as it quickly smoothed away and she replaced it with a smile.

"And I also wanted to thank you" Jo told him.

But for what?

"You showing up really helped me," she finished.

It had? How?

Arlo felt his blood run warmer as he deciphered her words. However, he began to realize what she meant. His appearance was likely only helpful as being a sign for her to go inside. For someone to cause a break up in whatever relentless thoughts she had been facing alone.

He had just been a minor distraction. It wasn't really him specifically. It could have been anyone.

"Of course," he replied.

They stared at each other. Jo's smile no longer as apparent on her lips, but instead shining in her eyes. He wasn't exactly smiling either as his lips sat parted as they remained in the morning air. The slight breeze.

He needed to get moving to shake off this chill.

Now it was his time for a distraction in order to help breakup the thoughts entering his head.

"Well, I was just about to go for my morning run," he informed her. "You're welcome to go inside and warm up a little before making the trip back down. Rem might even make you some eggs before he heads out."

Jo looked towards the door to the Corps, looking as though she were actually considering his offer. However, she was soon shaking her head.

"No, thanks. But … I would like to join you for that run."

"What?" he asked, his voice showing his disbelief.

"Yeah, I'm in," she confirmed, starting to jog in place with high knees. "Morning cardio is very important."

"Uh," he breathed. "Jo you cannot come with me."

"Why?" she asked, though she kept up her little warmup.

"Because… uh…"

Because why?

"You're not dressed right," he tried, gesturing towards her.

"Nonsense," she replied. "My legs will warm up as we go."

Try again.

"It's a three mile run. If you're not used to it then there are going to be terrible consequences," he said.

She rolled her eyes. "Then I'll stop if I need to. Although, I don't like what little faith you have in me, Captain. This cadette does not like to be underestimated!"

Captain again.  
And cadette?

"Jo…"

"I think you're running your mouth as an excuse not to actually run," she said as she began to move backward. "Come on, Cap!"

And she was off, running down the hill towards Central Plaza.

He sighed to himself, but not without following it with a smirk.

And then he was running after her.

Colors passed through the sides of his vision as his lungs expanded and contracted with cold air. Their feet patted over the stone of town as they went from ramps to Central Plaza and then to the grass of the fields.

If he were being honest, Arlo had expected her to give in all ready. There had been multiple occasions in the past where people in town had expressed interest in training with the Corps, which meant coming on their morning runs. However, within two minutes of the first day, they were tapping out and heading home.

But Jo hadn't let up.

Arlo had matched her pace from the start, choosing to run alongside her instead of ahead. They moved slower than he normally did, but not by much. Regardless, he didn't mind. And she didn't try to push herself and race him like Sam did. Instead, she seemed to enjoy their partnered jog as much as he did.

They continued their run through the fields - passed Amber Island and down towards the Portia Harbor. Neither of them spoke, the only sound passing between them were their attempts to stabilize their breathing with small pants.

It occurred to Arlo that, without even realizing it, he had led her through the same path he took every morning. Not that any other person wouldn't think to take the same route. It was nearly a large circle - focusing on some of the basic outer edges of their town.

He was sure his face was stained red from the air blowing into his cheeks. It felt like ice stabbing into each pore. Glancing over slightly to Jo as they passed the Harbor, he could see that her bare legs were also flushed now, which made him instantly tear his eyes away.

They continued on, but it wasn't long before Arlo began to slow his pace, he feet stumbling into the grass as he came to a stop. Jo followed suit, appearing as though she was thankful for the break. She was taking small gasps of air, but she kept her footing. He was glad to see she hadn't collapsed as she tried to stand on stable legs.

"Well done, builder," he said as they each continued to try and catch their breath. "Or should I say, cadette?"

Laughing at this, he watched as Jo beamed at him before huffing once again.

"Thank you, Captain!" she said, now lowering down to sit on the ground. Her legs sprawled out in front, her exhaustion evident. "I have to admit, though - I think I overdid it a bit. I never want to move again."

She then laid back on the grass, her chest rising and falling quickly as she closed her eyes. Little wisps of her hair brushed around her face, likely tickling her cheeks and forehead.

Arlo looked away, staring out at the water as he sat down next to her. They had ended up by the Western Beach, sitting in the grass only feet away from where the sand began. He sat silently, his breathing quieting now as he rested his elbows on his propped up knees.

"I think your stubbornness got the best of you," he finally said, glancing over at her. Her eyes were still closed, her limbs laying out in all directions as if she had no control over them.

"It's a small price to pay," she replied. "The consequence of never being able to breathe again just so I could prove you wrong."

Arlo let out a laugh. "Ah. Good to know you thrive on throwing yourself into danger just to make a point."

"Can't change who I am now," Jo said as she propped herself up on her elbows. Her breath was steady once again as she looked out in front of them.

"Welcome back," he teased.

She rolled her eyes at this before pushing her foot into his leg. The action made him smile.

Settling into themselves again, he heard Jo hum as she continued to look out at the water.

"Sure is beautiful in the morning," she spoke.

He nodded. "That's why I usually end my runs here. It's nice to actually be able to take this view in instead of just passing it."

"That was almost poetic, Arlo," she mused, laughing quietly. "But you're right. This is worth taking in."

She was looking out at the sea, her brown eyes studying the way the tide came in - grazing the sand before it pulled back out. Realizing what he was doing, he took his eyes off of her as he turned to stare out as well, seeing the water come in again.

"It's beautiful," he stated.

"Portia is beautiful all around," she was quick to reply.

"There's a thought," Arlo said, daring to look at her again. "How are you liking it here?"

Jo shrugged, her eyes now looking up to the sky. "Oh, just fine. It's more than I had imagined it would be."

"Despite the snailbobs having it out for you," he reminded her.

"I'm bound to have some enemies," she stated, the corners of her lips turning up slightly as she looked over at him.

He lifted a brow. "I find that hard to believe. You don't seem like the type to be hated."

"No? Mmm, well then, I should introduce you to a wormy, little man named Higgins. Absolutely loathes me."

They chuckled together, Jo shaking her head as she looked down at the grass.

They had so easily found themselves in such comfortable conversation. Not that Arlo hadn't been capable of this with others before. But it felt different with Jo.

How was it different?

It was different in a way that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Perhaps it was the exhaustion after their run and being too tired to care. Or maybe it was the energy between them… or just the energy from her side. There was something about Jo's energy. It was something you wanted to wrap yourself in.

Clearing his throat, Arlo moved on.

"Alright, aside from Higgins… I'm glad you're enjoying Portia."

She nodded. "It is… trying at times." She paused briefly before continuing. "You're the only one I've actually admitted that to. So don't go spreading it around."

The thought made a buzzing begin in his bones.

"I think I can say that to you, though, because you saw how I was the other night," she continued. Her voice was steady, unbothered as she recalled the moment. "But I've realized that it doesn't matter. Regardless of the challenges - I'm supposed to here."

Arlo's expression became softer as he stared at her. There was a determination in his eyes as she chose to look out rather than at him.

"Because your father left his workshop to you?" he asked, his voice was gentle.

Jo didn't answer at first, just shifted her shoulders and legs a little.

"That," she stated. "And other reasons."

He spoke again, surprised by his confidence to voice his thoughts.

"I'm sorry about your father, Jo."

Then there was silence. He stared at the side of her face, not knowing whether to kick himself for mentioning her father - twice now - or pride himself on finally being able to voice his condolences. The thought to do so had crossed his mind before, but he never found it right. Apparently he felt now was a good time.

As the silence drew on, he began to think he should take the first of his options - kick himself. It wasn't his place to say something to that caliber. Sure, Jo and him had spent time together on a few different occasions now, but did it really give him the right to mention her father?

Ready to apologize, Arlo began to open his mouth, but Jo beat him to the punch.

She sighed. "I appreciate that. But it's no one's to be sorry for."

She didn't sound angry, only honest as she turned to look at him now. Her smile was weak as her words sat in the air between them.

But Arlo remembered Jo's words from the other night.

"Do you ever just feel… so sorry for something that isn't even your fault?"

Apparently, despite her words now, she did think it was someone's to apologize for. And that person was sitting right next to him.

He knew it wasn't his place to point this out, nor did he dare to after the things he had said already. With that thought, he decided to try a different approach. A way to attempt to reassure her perhaps without her realizing it.

"I'd imagine that everyone in town wants to give you their regards, though," he told her.

She continued to look at him, furrowing her brow. "Why is that?"

"Because we knew him," he stated. "You moved here really only because you lost him… that's kind of asking a lot of a person. I think a lot of people in Portia see that and want you to know that you're welcome here."

He didn't really know where he was getting "a lot of people" from, but it seemed like the right thing to say. At least he knew that there was one person who felt the way he described.

"You can work all that?" she asked, her voice lowered. Tender.

He nodded. "I think I can.

He licked his lips quickly, looking down at the ground before speaking again.

"I know you probably hadn't planned to move to Portia so suddenly - potentially ever. But I hope you know we're glad you're here."

He could feel her eyes on the side of his face, causing him to continue.

"Sam's crazy about you, it seems. Emily only had nice things to say in your regard when she brought us eggs the other afternoon. Bloody hell, even Isaac made a grunt in your approval when he saw the table and chairs you built for him," Arlo said, finishing with a laugh.

He looked up at her, catching the way she looked at him as her head was tilted to the side. She had the smallest of smiles upon her lips.

"I have no place to say any of this."

And he had no idea why he was.

"But… I just wanted you to know."

Arlo studied her expression, glad to see that it was still soft - suggesting appreciation.

"Well," Jo finally spoke as she hugged her knees to her chest. "I think that's alright, Considering we're friends and all."

Arlo quirked a brow, her words hitting his chest and staying there rather than bouncing off.

"Oh, so we're friends, are we?" he asked, his amusement obvious in his tone.

"Yeah," he could hear her smile in her voice. Even her eyes were glowing, but maybe that was just due to the light provided by the rising morning sun. "I'd say we're friends alright."

He wanted to say more, but he found that he couldn't. Or, rather, he didn't dare to as they were suddenly interrupted.

"Jo!? Is that you!? You came on the run?" Sam was beyond herself as she jogged up to them, panting as she came to a stop.

Rem was right on her heels, his breathing much more controlled as he stood next to Sam. His eyes went from Arlo to Jo, and then right back to Arlo.

Not a word, Rem.

"Yeah, I figured I could use the exercise," Jo replied. "And Arlo was nice enough to humor me."

Humor her?

"Right on," Sam said before throwing herself onto the ground next to Arlo. She stretched out like a starfish, gazing up at the brightening sky.

"Sorry we didn't join sooner," Rem chimed in as he sat. "Sam got carried away with challenging Paulie to some sprints in Central Plaza."

"Kicked his butt too," Sam confirmed.

"I think he let you win," Rem stated, obviously trying to get a rise out of her.

"And if you say that again then I'll kick your butt," Sam replied.

"Try it. I'm not Paulie and I won't let you win," Rem said, not skipping a beat.

Jo laughed from Arlo's other side, causing him to glance over. It was crazy how quickly this entire picture had shifted.

"Oh, Arlo," Sam spoke again. "Phyllis was looking for you."

Now Arlo looked over to Sam, feeling Rem's eyes on him as he turned.

"Why is that?" he asked.

"She was wondering if you two were still on for later," Sam said, winking at him.

"Later, huh?" Jo said. He looked at her again, feeling as though he were going to tweak his neck if they kept this up. He noticed how she was smirking, a hand now placed under her chin.

He felt his skin prickle.

Yeah, he didn't like this.

"Right," he drew out, now just facing forward. "I'll make sure to catch up with her."

"Don't keep her waiting, Arlo," Sam butted in. "Ladies don't like it when men keep them waiting."

"Noted."

"You two going on a date tonight?" Rem asked.

REM.

"Something like that," Arlo spoke nearly through his teeth.

Don't look at her. Don't do it.

How was it that his two crew mates were the ones completely screwing him right now?

"Cute, cute, cute," Sam said, still completely oblivious. "You two can thank this matchmaker later."

"I'll write you a card," he said dryly. Then he was rising to his feet. "I should go."

Not because he intended to go see Phyllis, but because he didn't want to be part of this conversation anymore.

He brushed off his jacket briefly as he shot a look to his team and then looked over to Jo.

"Thanks for coming. You're welcome anytime," he said, trying to make his voice come off friendly despite the weighing tension in his shoulders.

"I'll keep that in mind, Cap," Jo replied with a smile. She, for one, seemed completely unphased by the conversation that just occurred.

Then he walked away. Only imagining the things that would be said once he was gone.

* * *

"So that confirms that," Jo said once Arlo was out of earshot.

"Confirms what?" Sam asked.

Had she said that out loud? Darn her unpredictable tongue.

"Oh…. Arlo and Phyllis," she responded. "I couldn't help but notice something was going on."

"Definitely something going on there," Sam told her. "All thanks to yours truly."

Rem shook his head, looking to Jo. "She's really proud of putting the idea in their heads. At least Arlo's…."

What did that mean?

"Well, look what came out of it!" Sam retorted.

"What do you mean - putting it in his head?" Jo asked, her tongue getting the better of her again.

Sam was happy to explain. "Mmm, Arlo doesn't really do the whole 'emotions and girls' thing - at least before Phyllis. He's not someone who discusses those kinds of things and is pretty private about it all. But I saw the way Phyllis looked at him… and him at her. So I gave him the push. I mean, he would never have done it otherwise."

Jo let Sam's words sink. It all did make a lot of sense. No wonder he had avoided her questions regarding Phyllis the other day.

"You know, I don't think you can call yourself a matchmaker when you force people together," Rem stated. His tone wasn't harsh, but it also wasn't teasing. Jo wasn't sure what to make of it.

She also wasn't sure what to make of his statement.

"Force!?" Sam said, spinning around to face him. "Oh, come on. I just pointed out what as already there."

"Sure," he responded, not impressed.

The whole interaction was very confusing to Jo. But she didn't manage to catch the rest of their bickering as she was lost in her own train of thought.

Jo couldn't deny the little… moments that had occurred between her and Arlo over the stretch of time she had known him. They had made her head spin a little - taking up way too much of her thinking space throughout those days. But now, at least, she could understand what those "moments" had been and determine that they were completely harmless.

Though the thought had slipped into her mind, there was nothing strange going on between her and Arlo.

What a relief.

The only thing really going on was a blooming friendship. And she could confirm that after the conversation they had shared that morning. They were friends.

And it was nice to have someone she could call her friend. She hoped she could say the same thing about the other Corps sitting next to her - as well as Emily and a few others.

Although, Jo had appreciated that Arlo was one of the friends who had been willing to even mention her father. But in a way that hadn't pushed her. A way that she could keep herself at bay and not repeat the incident that occurred at Sophie's.

But his words, though he knew close to nothing about Jo and her father, were comforting. Perhaps it was the lack of words that really were where she found reassurance. Or maybe it was something else entirely. She couldn't be completely certain. I was just...different.

How was it different?

It was different in a way that she couldn't quite put her finger on. But maybe it wasn't worth trying. It could just be that simple.

It was different.

The thought made her smile as she heard Sam going on about challenging Paulie to an arm wrestling match. She tried to focus on the conversation occurring beside her, but she was having trouble keeping her brain from straying back to her interaction with Arlo - her friend.

She liked the sound of that.

They were friends and that was that.

What else would it be?


	6. Chapter 6

Come see me when you get the chance. I have something for you.

Jo raised a brow at the letter in her hand, her eyes sliding down as she saw Django's name signed at the bottom. The entire note was written in the type of swirly cursive that suggested he was about to send her on a quest to the center of the Earth.

Who says he's not?

Folding up the note, she slipped it into her back pocket before closing her mailbox once more. As much as she would have liked to figure out the meaning behind Django's cryptic note as soon as possible - she knew she had some business to attend to first. Meaning delivering her latest commissions.

Heading to the wooden chest by her front door, Jo began to pull out each item she had finished the night before. The load consisted of a satchel, two wall lights, and three crystal necklaces. Thankfully, it was much more manageable to carry on her back, unlike the dining table she had to carry to Martha's only days before - with McDonal's help, of course.

Letting out a small grunt, she swung the pack onto her back and held onto the strap over her right shoulder as a form of support. The items inside chimed and jingled as they bumped one another, but Jo had given them enough padding to know they wouldn't break during travel.

Not wanting to waste any time, or energy from the weight of the heavy pack, Jo took off towards town, the collection of items bouncing gently against her back as she went.

"First stop - Albert," Jo said to herself, thankful that the man wasn't far from her own home.

She was even lucky to catch him standing outside in Peach Plaza by the fountain, making her first delivery easy. Removing the two wall lights, the delivery had made the pack noticeably lighter as she pulled it back onto her back.

"They are incredible," Albert told her, inspecting one light in each of his hands. "I have to say I'm impressed, builder."

She shrugged. "Thanks. I swapped out the regular glass for something stronger - I hope you don't mind. The strengthened option gave a better finish, in my opinion."

Jo wasn't sure why she had chosen to tell him all that. He likely hadn't cared about the materials and details, but about the end product. Perhaps she had just subconsciously wanted to tell someone about her little switch out. She had felt oddly proud of it.

"Great choice," Albert said, but as expected, his voice didn't lift higher or rush out faster. It remained steady, neutral… unfazed.

"Right," Jo said, looking off towards her next destination. "I should be going. Enjoy the lights."

They shared a wave before Jo was making her way down the walkway to Central Plaza. When she reached the plaza, she saw Carol and gave her the three crystal necklaces that she had requested. The woman seemed pleased with the outcome, and Jo decided not to mention the upgrades she had also made to her product.

Enjoying how her pack had grown even lighter, Jo headed to her last stop by taking the large set of stairs out of the plaza. She passed Molly and Polly as she went, sharing a "hello" with them as they continued in opposite directions.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she tried to recall where she was supposed to be going. All she had left in her pack was a leather satchel, which she thought she remembered was supposed to be for Ginger - but that made no sense. Ginger was not the type of girl who seemed like she would sport a leather satchel along with her sweet, pink dress.

So who was it for?

Jo paused on the path, furrowing her brow as she shuffled her feet one way and then the other, looking around. Why had she thought this was the right way to go? Was it for Petra and she had mistakenly gone up instead of just further into the plaza?

A noise of disapproval left Jo as she patted the pockets of her jeans, hoping to find her little notebook.

Nothing there.

She then moved to the pockets of her jacket, becoming pleased when she felt the book in her left side. It took seconds for her to pull it out and flip to the proper page.

Oh. There you go.

Looks like Jo had been right to go up, but she just hadn't gone up enough .

We have to go all the way up.

Jo returned the notebook to her jacket before she set off down the path. She could feel little beads of sweat appearing on her forehead as she walked, leading her to shake her head at the bipolar weather invading Portia. The day before she had needed to wear leggings under her jeans and two sweaters in order to keep warm. Now she would give anything to shed a few layers, but she figured the other townsfolk wouldn't appreciate public indecency.

After a few minutes, Jo had finally made her way back to the other side of the town and was standing at the bottom of the notorious rocky course to the top of the mountain. She recalled the first time she had taken the path to the top and how she had wanted to dedicate weeks to repair the wooden pathway for the sake of safety. If only she had made that a reality before she had to take the hike up today.

"Maybe if you jog up it won't seem so bad," Jo murmured to herself. It seemed like a ridiculous idea, but sure enough, she was suddenly running up the incline.

Panting, she reached the top and nearly leaned against the side of the building as she tried to ease the ache in lungs.

"Not such a great idea," she told herself. Closing her eyes, she placed her hands on her hips as she tilted her head up to the clear sky. If she hadn't been sweating before then she definitely was now.

With one final breath, Jo opened her eyes again and was ready to head through the doors before her. However, they had been suddenly pushed open by someone else stepping out.

Jo had meant to say something in an attempt not to startle the girl, but had failed as the girl jumped the moment she laid eyes on her.

"Oh!" the brunette squealed. She placed a hand on her chest, apparently needing to catch her breath as well. "I apologize. I didn't see you there."

Jo laughed. "No, no. I'm sorry for scaring you. I meant to come in and not linger outside."

"Would you like to come in now? Perhaps you're looking for a service from the Church of Light?" the girl said, her eyes suddenly scanning Jo from head to toe.

What was that?

"We have some clothing pieces for women. Beautiful white and gold," she continued.

Oh.

Jo wanted to laugh or even help the girl by telling her that eyeing people up and down, as she had just done, wasn't exactly the best idea. However, she found her nearly naive behavior too endearing.

"I think I'll pass for today," Jo told her. "I actually have something for you."

She then swung her bag around to her front and reached inside for the item. Once she slid it out, she held it towards the brunette with a smile.

"Here."

"Oh!" the girl said as if she were taken by complete surprise again. However, she reached for the satchel, holding it delicately in her small hands.

"Is it okay…?" Jo asked, returning her pack to its original place.

"Yes," the girl replied, her eyes wide and curious as she stared at the bag in her hands. Her fingers danced over the material, almost as if she were uncertain that the item was really there.

"Sorry," the girl finally said, looking up at Jo. The spell was broken. "I've just wanted one of these for so long, but no one ever took the commission.

"Really?" Jo said, her hands resting on her hips.

How was that possible? Seeing the way the girl had reacted to the bag was almost enough of a payment for Jo. It was so sweet and real. The wonder in her eyes had been so specific, and familiar. Jo was sure she had seen it somewhere else.

And it suddenly hit her - she had.

Last week when she had been walking through Peach Plaza and seen the girl standing up by the empty cafe. She had been standing with someone - a certain redhead. The way that she had been looking at the bag was the way that she had been looking at him.

Maybe that's just the way that she looks at everything.

Jo didn't know anything about Nora to confirm any of her thoughts.

"Yes," Nora finally responded to Jo's question. "Higgins teased that he was going to make me one for months, but he never did. It took a lot for me to actually put the commission on the board and he's just treated it like a game."

Nora's tone was soft and aloof, making Jo question if the girl was actually bothered by Higgin's stunt or just relaying information. However, Jo wasn't willing to shy away from her displeasure for the poor behavior.. Or just for the man himself.

"Higgins is a jerk," Jo said, her voice dipping. "I think he thrives on the sadness and failure of others. You'd better be careful or he'll suck the life out of you."

Nora's mouth fell open slightly, her eyes widening as she registered Jo's words. However, after a few seconds, she seemed to sense Jo's sarcasm - even though her hate for Higgin's was definitely not a joke - and replaced her surprise with a bubbly laugh.

"I'll keep an eye out for your commissions from now on," Jo told her. "That way you don't have to deal with Higgins anymore."

Nora gasped, her hand coming forward to grab Jo's. The action was unexpected, but still made Jo's hand grow warm from the touch.

"Thank you so much," Nora said. "Really, it means the world. As does this satchel. I can't even tell you."

Her hand was pulled back as Nora used it to slide the satchel over her shoulder so it sat across her body. The moment it settled into her, there was a smile spread across her entire face.

"How do I look?" Nora asked.

Jo smirked, looking at the way the satchel didn't quite suit the girl's look. It was a little more rugged, the kind that one would wear when off on a job in the desert or inside the Sewage Plant.

There was a thought.

Based on what Nora had told her about her mission, Jo knew that the girl wouldn't be doing anything to that extent. So why did she need such a sturdy and spacious pack? Certainly not just for flyers, right?

Just as Jo opened her mouth to respond, the thought hit her.

Nora may not be doing those things… but who would be? A certain someone came to mind in order to answer that burning question. Someone who would be impressed by the girl wearing the satchel.

So maybe the extraordinary way that Nora had been staring at the bag… and the same shared look she had flashed the known redhead wasn't just some coincidence. Maybe it all aligned.

Or maybe Jo needed to stop making assumptions.

Realizing the girl was still waiting on her, Jo snapped out of her thoughts and gave her a nod of approval.

"It looks great. Really adds a little something extra to all the yellow," Jo said.

Was that even a compliment? She had meant it to be.

Nora giggled. "Thank you, Josephine."

"Oh, uh, it's Jo," she said, waving off the girl's formal use of her name.

"Apologies," Nora said, placing her fingers gently over her own lips. However, she immediately lowered them as she continued. "Jo suits you much better anyway."

Jo approved of the girl's honesty.

"I couldn't agree more," she said with a nod. "Were you just headed down the hill? We could walk together."

Nora stared passed Jo, glancing down the pathway. "I was," she confirmed. "I was actually going to go meet someone."

"Oh?" Jo said as she began to lead the way down the hill. "Fun plans for the afternoon?"

Nora flashed a shy smile, tilting her head down towards the ground. "Not necessarily. I just like to visit a friend on Wednesdays."

"That's still fun," Jo stated. She couldn't help but feel that it was a lot more fun that Nora was saying, based off of her nonverbal cues. Her cheeks were becoming slightly red, her lips trying to smooth away a smile. It was sort of, and Jo never used this word, adorable.

The girl's behavior had nearly made Jo forget about who the friend in question could be. Yet, she had known that wasn't her place to try and push her nose in Nora's business.

"How long did you say that you've been in Portia?" Jo asked, dismissing her thoughts and prior conversation.

"Around six months," Nora said with a nod, her hands wrapped around the strap of her bag.

"Not much longer than me," Jo stated, bumping her with an elbow. "Have any tips for a newcomer?"

A gentle noise hummed out of Nora as she thought for a moment. "Don't mistakenly find yourself wandering into the ancient ruins without the proper gear. My curiosity got the best of me and I foolishly entered. Luckily Rem caught me before I walked right off a rocky ledge to my death!"

The girl let out a small squeak as she recalled the encounter, which pulled a laugh from Jo.

"Sorry, sorry," Jo said at once, not wanting the girl to think she was being insensitive to her feelings. "I just can't believe something that dangerous is so accessible to, well… everyone."

Jo was beginning to realize that about a lot of things in Portia. In her old town, she never found herself being ambushed by snail things or at risk of falling into a giant ruin. They were definitely unique characteristics of her new town.

"The Civil Corps are always monitoring the ruins, and the Collapsed Wasteland. They know they're dangerous and are sure to keep us safe," Nora said, sounding very matter-of-fact. "It was only a freak accident on my part. I should have been paying more attention, really."

Now Jo wanted to actually laugh at this. She fully well knew that the Corps were a force to be reckoned with and were quick to the scene in the face of danger. After all, they had come to her aid immediately when they had heard of the snail invasion. However, Jo could state those facts with a shrug of her shoulders, unlike Nora who spoke as if she needed Jo to believe her words.

It was as if she were their number one fan.

"Fair enough," Jo finally stated as they reached the bottom of the hill. She turned to look at Nora, prepared to change the subject once more. However, she could immediately tell that the girl's attention was being pulled elsewhere.

Jo still didn't want to make assumptions, but when she caught sight of who Nora had been fixated on… she found it very hard not to, mentally, point out the facts.

It was Arlo.

No assumptions. No assumptions. No assumptions.

Maybe Arlo wasn't even the friend that Nora had been referring to. Maybe this was pure coincidence that he was there right at that moment.

"Arlo! Hey!" Nora called out, catching the man's attention.

Or maybe not.

Arlo turned, one corner of his mouth raised as he was ready to greet the girl. However, the smile faltered - for only seconds - when he saw Jo standing with her.

But then the smile reappeared, touching both corners of his mouth the second time.

The whole reaction had occurred in a flash, but it had Jo's mind spinning.

"Hello, Nora. Jo," he said with a nod, his arms crossing over his chest.

"Hey," Jo offered as Nora and her came to a stop. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Ah, just a typical Wednesday," he told her. "This is my usual spot this time of day."

Interesting.

"And what a beautiful day it is," Nora spoke up.

The innocence in her comment nearly caused Jo to chuckle.

"That it is," Arlo agreed, raising a brow. His eyes then fell lower, his head tilting to the side. "Nice satchel, Nora. Great quality, that one."

A flush was evident over the girl's cheeks, causing Jo's insides to dance even though she was still **not **making assumptions .

Instead, she tried to focus on the fact that they were currently complimenting her work.

"Thank you," Nora replied before gesturing over. "Jo made it for me."

Arlo's eyes slid over to Jo, his expression filled with interest. "Is that so?"

"Yup," Jo replied, lifting her shoulders. "Gave me the chance to work with the skiver. Couldn't resist."

She looked to Nora who was practically beaming. Jo couldn't help the buzz running through her from pure enjoyment. She really shouldn't have been drawing conclusions in her head as she watched Nora, but it was becoming harder by the minute.

Arlo certainly seemed to have a way with the ladies.

First she had learned about Phyllis, and now Nora?

Only… Arlo didn't seem to be as unsettled in Nora's presence or as they spoke with one another. Yet, he had when Phyllis was mentioned. It was a factor that Jo also noted.

What are you? An aspiring detective?

"So what are you two ladies up to now? Seizing the day together?"

There was something in his tone that made Jo want to give his shoulder a firm shove. It was insinuating and tickling in the subtlest of ways. In Jo's mind, at least. Especially because she had known that the girl beside her had likely not sensed it.

Arlo seemed to be in disbelief that her and Nora could be spending time together. Jo could admit, they were a bit of an unlikely pair - but so were Nora and him. Nora's opposite nature to Jo's was exactly what made her already fond of the girl.

Perhaps that's why Nora felt so drawn to -

Let it go!

"Well, if you were listening , I had just dropped off the finished product for Nora's commission, but she was stepping out and was kind enough to walk down the hill with me," Jo told him.

Nora confirmed her words with a smile and nod.

Arlo raised a skeptical brow, his lips pressed together as he looked from Jo, to Nora, and back to Jo.

"I thought you said you hated going up the hill," he stated.

Arlo!

His words had been so dry - a hard statement. Jo couldn't help but wonder what thoughts were running through Nora's head based on what Arlo could be implying.

Plus, she had told him of her distaste for trudging up the incline while in confidence! The betrayal was strong.

"Hey. Don't give Nora the wrong idea here," Jo pushed back. "I don't like going up the hill because of how wobbly those wooden paths can be. That's all."

Jo gave Nora a reassuring look, which the girl responded to with a thankful smile. The last thing she wanted the girl to believe was that she didn't want to go to the top due to the Church of Light or Nora herself. She barely knew the girl - why would she try to avoid her?

"I don't know," Arlo continued. "I think it's because you're scared of heights."

Oh. That's what he was playing at.

Now his tone was familiar. It was filled with the same amusement they always shared when talking with one another. He had thrown the comment out to her almost like bait to fish, fully well knowing that she would take it.

She had to.

"I think," Jo started, raising a brow. "That you're projecting your own insecurities onto me as a form of coping mechanism. If you're trying to tell Nora and me that you need some sort of help then just say so, Arlo."

"Oh?" he said with a small chuckle. "You're going to help me, huh? You really believe that the Captain of the Civil Corps would have a fear of heights?"

She shrugged. "All the facts are there. I'm just stating the obvious."

"How about I take you for a ride in one of Portia's aircrafts and you can see for yourself, yeah?" he retorted, his voice suddenly dipping.

Her stomach flipped, but she continued on. Her voice remained steady as she was determined to win their spoken swordplay.

"Because you need the emotional support," she stated. "I fully understand. I'll do whatever I can."

Arlo shook his head, but the smile remained on his face. "You're a real pain in my side, you know that?"

This made Jo beam, the pest in her feeling triumphant. His words caused her to reach her hands towards him, giving him a few actual pokes in his side. He reacted by laughing and gently swatting at her hands.

"I know, but that's what makes me so great," Jo teased.

And then Jo registered the flash of yellow in her peripheral, abruptly bringing her back to her senses.

Nora had been just standing there, watching their back and forth, but not contributing to the conversation at all. The realization made Jo's face grow warm.

"Anyway," Jo stated, recomposing as she readied herself to step away from the scene. "I guess I'll leave you two al-"

Before she could finish her sentence, she heard someone calling her name, causing all three of them to turn in the direction of the voice.

It was Django. He was jogging from the Round Table to where they stood, a brown paper package clutched in his hand. It was an awkward shape, causing him to move slower than usual as it swung around in his grasp.

"I'm glad I ran into you," Django said once he reached them. "I wanted to make sure I was able to give this to you today."

He held the package out to her, placing it in both of Jo's outreached hands. As the item laid across her palms, she looked up at him as she still couldn't identify what could be wrapped in the paper.

"What brought on the gift?" Jo asked, bouncing her hands lightly under the weight of the object. It was sturdy, but she could tell that it was lighter on one end.

"It's a form of gratitude for all of my commissions that you've answered. The Round Table looks almost as good as the day it opened thanks to your repairs and new furniture," he told her. "I wanted you to know just how much I appreciate your service."

"Oh, Django," she began. "You didn't have to get me anything. It's really just my job."

"Ah, ah," he held up her hand, dismissing her reluctance. "I insist."

"What a gracious gesture," Nora said, her palms flat against her chest as she covered her heart. The girl's reaction broke a smile on Jo's lips, giving her the push to actually pull the brown paper open.

As the wrapping was brushed to the sides, Jo's eyes fell on an emerald green metal instead. It was smooth, running a few feet long before meeting a handle that was deeper in color.

"A sword?" Arlo asked the question before she could.

"That it is," Django stated.

Jo could see Arlo's eyes go from the man back to the tool laying in her hands. It seemed as though he wanted to say more, but Jo jumped in.

"But why?" she asked. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the gift, but I don't have much use for a sword. Shouldn't you keep this?"

She started to hand it back to him, but he shook his head.

"Not at all. I had it made for you," he told her.

He what?

"I have my own, but this one is yours. It never hurts to have protection as you never know when you may find yourself in the face of danger," he said.

Jo looked down to the sword. It was true. She had just been thinking about how Portia seemed to have some unusual hazards that had caught her off guard, making the sword seem appealing. But still, it also seemed a bit drastic. She didn't even know how to use the thing.

Her father had taught her how to use a hammer, a screwdriver, even a level. She had taught herself how to use the rest. No one had ever thought to teach her how to use a sword, though.

But that was because there was never a need to.

"If she needs protection then she can rely on us," Arlo stated. His tone reminded her of the same firm one he had used the day she met him, before she knew how easy-going he could be. He wasn't annoyed or rude to Django, but he wasn't amused either.

"I agree, Captain Arlo," Django confirmed. "But I also believe being able to take care of oneself, if need be, is important too."

Arlo let out a wave of air through his nose, but followed it with a shrug. "Guess I can't exactly argue against being prepared." Jo then felt his eyes fall on her instead of the sword, causing her own gaze to raise to him. "I only hope that you needn't ever use it."

"You and me both," she admitted.

And yet, even she felt better knowing she had the sword. If she ever had to use it then she was sure to make a fool of herself. But knowing that she had something of actual use in the face of danger - unlike a plank of wood - gave her a strange peace of mind.

"Seriously, Jo," Arlo started again. "You know that I'll always have your back when it comes to dealing with the dangers."

Arlo's words sank into her, causing her to swallow as she kept his eyes on her. Her lips parted as she tried to think of something to say. Why was it so hard to think of something to say when a Captain was only stating the duties of his position?

Maybe it was because it had felt strangely personal. Or maybe it was because everyone's eyes were all on her - especially two pairs that weren't really part of the conversation anymore.

Arlo cleared his throat. "As do Sam and Rem. The Civil Corps are always here."

Jo answered him with a nod, needing to tear her eyes away from him. The shift in the moment had her arms feeling heavy, making her feel as though the sword could slip from her grasp.

"Thank you, Django," Jo said quickly, her gaze snapping up to him. "I didn't mean to come off as ungrateful. It was just unexpected."

"No need to explain," he answered her. "It's an unconventional gift, but I figured it couldn't hurt to have it somewhere if an opportunity should arise."

Jo let out a single laugh as a way to release the exasperation inside of her.

"But," Django spoke again. "As Arlo stated, let's hope you never have to use it."

"Right," Jo said. "That's the plan… well, uh, I'm gonna get this home and put it somewhere safe. Thanks again, Django. And it was nice talking to you, Nora."

She then turned to Arlo, nearly dropping the sword from her hands. But he reached out to steady the weight as he placed his hands over hers. The touch ran a shock through her palms all the way to her fingertips. She needed to pull away before the whole length of the sword turned hot to the touch.

Doing just that, she took a step backward as she finally began to make her exit.

"See you around, Cap. I promise we'll work on that fear of heights some other time," she told him, managing a cheeky smile.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't go spreading around your rumors, Jo."

"Sorry. I'm no longer a cadette. I don't take orders from the likes of you," she said, her eyes surely dancing before she spun around. She didn't even give him a chance to reply before she was speed walking down the hill, the sword awkwardly situated in her arms.

However, she could feel eyes on her back as she went. There was no way of telling who they belonged to, or if they were a collection of all three of the individuals she had left behind. Still, they brought a thrill through her that she couldn't comprehend.

Reaching home, Jo mindlessly went to her chest, opened it, and threw the sword inside before she shut it again. She was nearly on autopilot, not even thinking straight as she tossed it in there still partially wrapped in the paper. Perhaps she just couldn't look at it anymore - the five minutes that she had already were enough.

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Jo plopped down so she was sitting on top of the chest. It was almost as if she were guaranteeing that the chest wouldn't open and the sword would somehow come shooting out.

You're acting like this is some sort of monster in a horror movie. Get it together.

Listening to her own advice, Jo gave herself a bit of a shake before standing up from the chest. It was time to move on with her day. Time to get commissions moving so she would have deliveries to make in the morning, and then she could start the process again.

However, a thought suddenly hit her, making her stop dead in her tracks before she could reach her work station.

She hadn't grabbed any new commissions while she was in town.

Shoot.

Jo mentally gave herself a palm to the face as she spun around on her heels again. Looks like she would be heading back to Peach Plaza.

Only, she froze once again as she noticed someone standing just outside of her gate. The person's demeanor took Jo by surprise as he stood with his hands on his hips, puffed chest, and self-satisfied smile.

"Mayor Gale," she breathed. "What brings you here?"

Gale's smile spread so he was now flashing her some teeth. He nearly squirmed underneath his jacket as if unable to contain himself.

"Jo the builder. Have I got a job for you!"


	7. Chapter 7

His heart was pounding in his chest as he made his way through town. His judgment had been hindered, causing his body to move faster than any rational train of thought - which led him to neglect the idea of taking his horse. His impulses had left him trudging through town, not registering other people around him as he was focused on the end destination.

And there it was.

And there she was.

He caught sight of her standing over her furnace as she inspected a bronze bar in her hands. He was glad to see she wasn't in the midst of using her table saw so his outburst wouldn't startle her and cause consequences.

Speaking of outbursts.

"What is this I've just heard about you making a battery for the Haunted Cave?"

Jo turned to him, confusion taking over her features as she was taken aback. She didn't seem surprised to see him, but rather indifferent to how he had approached her.

"Hi, Arlo. Good to see you. I'm fine - how are you?" she said.

He scoffed. "Point made," he stated. "Now can we kindly go back to my question."

"Mmm," Jo took a moment to think. "I'm not sure that we can. Not if you're going to storm in… guns blazing."

As much as he wanted to mock her for her phrasing, he wasn't exactly in the mood.

"I'm only reacting that way because this is serious. Your answer matters," he told her.

"You already know the answer," Jo insisted. "So why ask the question?"

"Because it's always good to receive confirmation," he stated.

She rolled her eyes at this, moving passed him as she brought the bronze bar over to her assembly station.

"Well, you have your confirmation , so now what?" Jo said.

Now he felt his heart thumping in his chest, heavier than before. His shoulders were tense as his thoughts came flooding out all at once.

"Now we discuss terms. Guidelines," he stated.

She turned back, her brow furrowed as she stared at him.

"Excuse me…? What?" she said.

"The conditions," Arlo said, finding the right word. "I know what Gale's instructions to you are, but they are going to change."

Jo crossed her arms over her chest. "And you get to be the one to decide that?"

Arlo nodded. "I do."

He watched as Jo's brows pulled even closer together, her annoyance evident.

"I understand you're building the removable battery for the Haunted Cave," he told her. "And I also understand that Gale has asked you to go install the battery once it's completed…?"

Jo shrugged. "That's correct."

Arlo felt the tension from his shoulders spread further down his body - over his biceps, his forearms, nearly making him clench his fists.

His reaction was drastic, even he knew that. However, he couldn't believe how irresponsible Gale was by just allowing Jo to go into the Haunted Cave. The mayor had even encouraged it. Worse than that, he was going to send her into the cave completely blind without mentioning what could be waiting for her there.

"Wrong," Arlo told her. "You build the battery and then we take it from there. The Corps will be installing it."

Jo scoffed this time, not pleased with his words for a second.

"Arlo, you don't know how to install the battery for the generator. I have to do it," she told him.

"You only have to tell me how, or even write down instructions," he retorted. "It's that easy."

"No," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's not."

Her hand fell as she stared at him again, looking completely thrown.

"It's more complicated than you know, and unless you understand exactly what you're doing then it's not going to work," she continued. "Why can't I just go with you and you three can cover me while I install it myself?"

There was a thought… but no. It was too risky.

"Because these missions can be unpredictable. We don't know what's waiting down in that cave and we can't prevent the unexpected. Something could go wrong that's out of our control. We're not risking it, Jo."

"You're basing this off of 'what if's' and 'maybes,' Arlo. I can help you if you just let me," she pressed.

Why was she fighting him so hard on this? Couldn't she tell he was only trying to do what was best for her and keep her away from whatever could be lurking around in the cave? Arlo and the Corps hadn't been able to go in and fully investigate without having that battery - who knew what could be waiting for them once they finally had a real look inside.

But Jo was stubborn, he had to remind himself of that. He knew he wasn't exactly approaching this situation in a way that wouldn't cause her to grow defensive, but his emotions were already high.

"I think I'm more capable than you realize," he said. "I can do it as long as you give me detailed instructions."

Jo was quick to jump in on him. "And I'm capable of handling my own and installing this battery myself."

"That's completely asinine! You're purposely putting yourself in danger for no reason."

"You're the one sabotaging my work! I'm not going to put all of this time and effort into a commission, that will better the whole town, and then not see it through. If you install this incorrectly-"

"I won't. You're not even giving me a chance -"

"And you're not giving me a chance - "

"That's because it's ludicrous to let you -"

"But you don't know that unless we actually try. You're going off of -"

"I'm going off of experience. I know -"

"That doesn't mean that applies to this -"

"Jo, would you just listen to me - "

"No! Because you just came in here, forcing yourself in and ordering me around. That's not right, Arlo. This is my work and you don't just get to derail the whole thing!"

"I'm not trying to derail it!"

"Oh, sorry. Then what are you trying to do? Take over?"

"No."

"Control it?"

"No. Jo - "

"Then what? What, Arlo?"

"I'm trying to protect you!"

His voice rang out, invading the space between them and echoing through the fields surrounding her house. Anyone within a mile was sure to hear it.

Jo had certainly heard it. They both stood there, facing one another as they were trying to slow their heaving chests. There was something lingering in the air around them that made it nearly impossible for Arlo to tear his eyes away from her, but eventually he felt as though he had too.

He sighed. "It's for your own good. You are… great at what you do, Jo. But you do not belong in that cave."

He looked back at her, seeing the way that she was staring at him - her expression hard and unflinching.

"Please," he said, his voice serious but growing softer. "Just write up the instructions and I'll make sure it's installed correctly."

Still, she said nothing, and Arlo figured that she likely wouldn't no matter what he tried. So instead, he decided it was time for him to leave.

"I'll send Rem over later to pick them up along with the battery. We'll make sure it's taken care of, Jo."

He knew it would be easy to simply turn around and apologize to her. To insist that she should just come into the cave with them and they could manage to cover her.

But he had meant what he said. He didn't even want to risk the possibility for something to go wrong. For her to be anywhere near the potential danger if anything were to happen.

He really did just want to protect her.

* * *

God, she had never imagined that Arlo would be capable of making her feel this way. Normally when she felt like punching someone in the face it was Higgins as her target. However, Arlo had made his way to the top of her list.

Why did he feel like he could push her around like this?

He wanted to protect her - she got that. But it wasn't as if she were completely helpless. God forbid something were to go wrong, she wouldn't just fall to the ground in despair and act as a dead weight. She liked to think she was better than that.

And she figured Arlo knew enough about her to also think that as well. Apparently she was wrong.

Then there was what he had said near the end of their argument…

"You are… great at what you do, Jo. But you do not belong in that cave."

Remembering his words, Jo wanted to kick down a wobbly post in her fence.

She had detested the statement, wanting to leave the conversation as soon as he had said it.

She didn't like anyone telling her where she belonged. Especially not now when she was struggling enough to figure that out for herself.

Letting out a grunt, Jo's anger fueled her movements as she went to retrieve the rest of her bronze bars. As much as she didn't want to look at the stupid battery anymore, she knew she was too close to finishing the build to walk away now.

Bringing over the last two bars, and the three power stones she needed, Jo started adding in the last of her materials to the battery. Each piece hammered into place was done with an extra wave of force than Jo usually applied. It was the only way she knew how to cope with the events that had just occurred.

Another hour went by until Jo was finally stepping back and assessing her work.

It was complete. It had taken her days and plenty of long hours, but she had done it. The battery had been her biggest build yet and she wanted to feel elated at that moment, even give herself a pat on the back.

But she didn't. She couldn't.

She felt a strange wave of disappointment settling over her as she turned away from the battery and went to stand at her workbench. There was no time to admire her work as she needed to start writing out the instructions for Arlo and his team. Rem was likely to be there in the next hour and she knew the installation steps needed to be written down perfectly or else the whole operation would go south.

Jo picked up her pencil, holding it above the large sheet of graphing paper as she prepared herself to write it all out.

However, her pencil didn't manage to reach the paper as she couldn't bring herself to move her hand. Her mind was so wrapped up in a wave of thoughts containing snippets of the conversation she had with Arlo.

He had gone on and on about the possibility of something going wrong, even with them there… but what if something went wrong with the installation even if they followed Jo's instructions perfectly? What if they ran into a complication with wiring or the system was slightly altered from what Jo had expected? She could adapt, but they couldn't… not without her help.

And she wasn't about to write out a list of "do 'this' incase 'this' happens" scenarios.

You won't even be able to see your build boot up for the first time… to actually work.

Jo still stood over the workbench, her fingers fiddling with the pencil sitting in her fingers. All she had written were the words "Installation Instructions" at the top.

And that's all she was going to write.

Jo threw the pencil down and felt her body jump into motion again. She was moving around her workspace - grabbing her bag, pulling the battery off of the assembly station, collecting the tools she would need to actually install the build.

This was crazy - she knew it was, but even acknowledging that didn't stop her.

Once she had nearly everything she needed, that's when Jo finally began to slow her movements - but another thought ran through her mind.

Stilling, Jo stared down at the ground, her expression perplexed as she considered the options she presented herself within her own thoughts. This lasted seconds, maybe even minutes before she made up her mind.

Going to the large wooden chest, Jo opened it and pulled out the foreign item that she had tucked away days before. Her touch on the object was gentle, but she tried to make it more firm as she moved her hands to the handle and held it upright.

See. Not so bad.

At least the weapon could help her argue why she should go. It gave her the opportunity to protect herself if things go out of hand. Another safety net.

Letting out the breath that she hadn't realized she was holding, Jo figured it was better not to focus on the item too long. Instead, she slid it into the available straps on her back that usually held her axe.

And now was the waiting. She had all her materials and was set to go.

She was going to wait for Rem to get there and insist - no - demand that they let her go with them in order to install the battery herself.

That's it. She would wait for him.

But, then again, even that didn't seem good enough… especially because she could assume how it would likely end.

She bounced her leg as she stood there, feeling as though she needed to pace. This energy, this impatience - it was getting the best of her.

Because what did seem good enough was just… going.

Going on her own. Right then and there.

And so, she went. On her own. Right then and there.

* * *

She stood outside of the cave, her fingers cramped and freezing as they gripped the battery in her hands. The wind was starting to pick up, turning the end of her nose pink as it started to run.

Now that it was evening, she didn't have much time to do this. She didn't know how much light she would have in the cave while she restored the generator. Time was becoming even more of the essence.

Pushing out a slow breath through her lips, Jo nodded to herself as she tried to resituate the battery in her arms.

In she went.

* * *

Rem didn't like this. He didn't like having to be the one to go retrieve the instructions from Jo when he knew that she'd be upset.

After what Arlo had told him, there was no way that she had taken being denied from accompanying them to the cave lightly. Rem agreed that it wasn't safe for her to be in the cave, but he also figured she would be fine if they looked out for her.

But Arlo had made it clear that was out of the question.

And then he had also made it clear that Jo was a whole other level of "pissed off." Rem had never seen her that way, likely Arlo hadn't either, but he had spent enough time with Jo to know that she didn't like to be bossed around.

She was strong willed, that one.

Rem was trying to prepare himself to come face to face with the wrath that had no doubt been building in Jo all afternoon. Would she yell at Rem? Give him a cold shoulder?

He wasn't sure.

Jo didn't seem like the type to go screaming around and spreading her problems elsewhere. She was headstrong, but reasonable.

Nearing her workshop, Rem squared his shoulders as he readied himself for any scenario. The lights were on inside her home, signaling him that she was probably waiting for him there.

Once again, he felt for the girl. Knowing that even he hated not being able to see a job through and having to stand down to another's decisions. Arlo had said she had challenged him, but her efforts meant nothing once the Captain had dismissed her.

Frowning, Rem let out one last sigh before he knocked firmly on her front door.

Now was the moment of truth.

He waited for a few seconds, noticing how he hadn't heard any movement inside. Thinking she hadn't heard him, he lifted his hand to knock again - only louder.

More seconds passed.

Nothing.

"Jo?" he called loudly, knocking one more time. "It's Rem."

Nothing still.

Following instinct, Rem reached for the doorknob and let himself in. Sure enough, he was met with a lit room, but one that was also completely empty.

Okay.

Stepping back out, he closed the door behind him. Maybe she had stepped out. There was always the chance that she had left him the battery and instructions to pick up, but didn't care to stay. It may have been better that way - based on how upset she had been already, distancing herself really was a smart decision.

Her absence would at least make this easier on him.

Walking over to her workspace, he looked to her assembly station for the battery. However, his eyes found nothing.

Where had she put it? The chest?

Shifting his gaze, Rem saw Jo's actual workbench and the paper that sat on top. He recognized it as the same paper she used to write all of her building instructions on.

Bingo.

Making his way over, he picked up the sheet, but immediately furrowed a brow. It was… completely blank aside from a header at the top. "Installation Instructions."

Oh no…

Unwilling to draw any conclusions just yet, Rem decided to check the wooden chest where he knew Jo always placed her finished products before delivery.

Please be in here. Come on, Jo.

Opening the chest, his whole body tensed.

Empty. Completely empty.

"Oh no… no, no."

The chest slammed shut as Rem took off, sprinting the entire way back to the Civil Corps headquarters.

* * *

She made her steps silent as she entered the cave. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but she ignored it as she tried to keep her mind clear. If she let her emotions get the best of her then she would never be able to stay on her guard. There was no way she was repeating what happened with the snailbobs the second she let her mind wander even slightly.

Looking around, being inside the cave felt completely surreal to Jo. Of course, she was the only one to blame that she was actually there, but she almost couldn't believe she'd done it.

Guess that's what happens when you act blindly.

Focusing again on the task at hand, Jo studied the area around her. The Mayor had told her that the wiring for the battery should be right there at the entrance, and she was hoping his words were true.

And they were.

As Jo looked to her right, she saw exactly what the Mayor had been referring to. Right in the corner was the generator with an obviously vacant spot perfect for the battery.

Not wasting any time, she sped walked over to the area and came down to a kneel, setting the battery beside her. She inspected the wiring, being able to tell what needed to be attached where even with the lack of light now.

She reached for the battery, setting it closer to the wiring and fellow controls before she started connecting everything. As she suspected, the set up was different than one might usually expect, which made her oddly smug. Imagine if she had provided Arlo with her original plans just for them to not correctly apply? They could have blown it or started a fire so the generator would have never been salvageable. The whole thing could have been compromised.

"This one… and then finally…" Jo spoke to herself, working through the finishing touches.

She then stood, taking a step back as she turned to find the switch to properly fire up the generator. Her fingers found it, flicking it on as she held her breath.

Seconds passed, but then the generator began to rumble before making a nice purring noise. The lights inside of the cave followed, flickering for a moment and then coming on completely.

Yes!

Jo wanted to let out a cheer, allowing it to echo over the walls of the cave. However, she knew that would be foolish. Just because she had turned on the generator and done her part didn't mean that she was out of the woods yet.

But at least she had done it! And the satisfaction of actually being able to see the generator running was immeasurable.

Collecting her supplies, Jo straightened the pack on her back as she prepared herself to head out of the cave. But her movements were stopped short as she noticed something lying on the floor. It was placed just outside of the pathway that led further into the cave, which made Jo feel a little weary. However, she couldn't help but bring herself over to the item as she saw a name written across the bottom.

Emily.

Picking up the item, she recognized it as the bucket she had seen Emily use many times. That was, until the blonde had told Jo that she had misplaced it - unable to find it no matter where she looked.

What was it doing there?

Her brows pulling together, Jo looked up from the item as she stared around again. She froze once more when she noticed another object further down the path. Light was reflecting off of it so she could only see a strange glow, but the object looked out of place amongst the cave's dirt floor.

Curiosity coursed through her, causing her to lose her senses as she crossed to it. It was only a few feet away, after all. If she could grab it quickly then she could turn around right away and head back out of the cave.

Reaching it, Jo picked up the shiny object and knew immediately what it was. Martha's cooking pot… another item that had been claimed as "misplaced."

"Why are these things in here?" Jo asked herself, looking further down the path.

Just then she heard a noise that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

It sounded like a scream.

Jumping into action, she threw down Martha's pot and Emily's bucket before she took off down the path. Her better judgment was completely disregarded as she could only focus on who the scream belonged to. Every part of her hoped it wasn't either of the two mentioned women, or any of Portia's citizens for that matter.

She wanted to call out, but she had no voice as she continued on - still finding nothing the deeper she went into the cave. Another scream echoed over the walls, pushing her feet faster.

No one was calling out. There were only the two screams. No voice.

The only voice that Jo could hear was the one coming from inside of her. And it wasn't even her own.

"You're purposely putting yourself in danger."

"...you do not belong in that cave."

She should turn around. She was finding nothing and if there was someone in here then the Corps would find them when they came to inspect the cave that night.

But what if it was too late then?

Despite her thoughts, her feet had not stopped moving as she landed in another area of the cave. At this point, she didn't know which path she had been taking - as the cave had split multiple ways - and if she could even get back to the entrance without completely losing herself.

And then she heard the scream again.

But this time it was right next to her, causing Jo to jump away and slam into the wall of the cave as she was unable to slow down.

After the impact, she fell to the floor, her butt landing with a loud thud. The entire thing had left her feeling as though she had experienced whiplash, causing her to give her head a hard shake to try and clear the stars from her vision.

Then she heard another noise she couldn't discern, bringing her to slowly look up.

What the hell is that?

Standing over her was a creature that Jo could only describe as a human sized rat, propped up on its hind legs and all. It was grunting, swaying back and forth as it challenged her.

Jo could hardly breath, completely gawking at the creature as its beady eyes stared her down. She could see a pipe held in its hands, which she was sure the rat was begging for Jo to give it a reason to use on her. The whiskers on its face were longer than the length of Jo's fingers, causing a shiver to swarm through her.

The rat watched the movement, and then it opened its mouth to let out a screech. Only it sounded like something else.

Like a human scream.

Oh dear God.

It hadn't been a woman screaming out for help. There was no one down here. It was only the rat… and apparently it had friends as another one slowly edged forward from the shadows behind the first.

She had no idea how many others could be down here.

What she did know, though, was that while there could be dozens of them - there was only one of her.

She was completely alone.

* * *

"Have everything you need?" he asked Sam as he adjusted the straps of his gear over his jacket. They were in full prep mode for their mission this evening. If everything went according to plan then they could get the battery installed, get the power on, and have the cave completely inspected and clear before midnight.

"Think so," Sam confirmed. "Just need to grab my other set of goggles."

Arlo nodded to her, glancing up at the clock as Sam went to a chest and started rifling through.

Rem was expected to be back any minute. Well, unless Jo had decided to give him a hard time too. Hopefully she would understand that the importance of time was greater than her own pride.

He knew that mentioning her pride wasn't exactly fair. He understood her frustration and had spent the afternoon feeling guilty for being so hard on her. After all, she was just trying to do her job and he had imposed on her.

However, that still didn't makeup for the fact that her being in the cave, whether alone or with them, was absolutely dangerous. He was not willing to put her in harm's way - not even if he was going off of "what if's and maybe's" as she had claimed.

Reaching for his waist pack, Arlo didn't manage to fasten it around himself before the front doors were thrown open. The way they winced on their hinges and crashed together once shut again instantly made Arlo's stomach drop.

And there was Rem. Standing in the doorway, panting as his expression was filled with horror.

"Rem?" Sam asked as she appeared at Arlo's side.

"She's gone," he told them.

"What do you mean she's gone?" Arlo asked, his voice barely audible as he spoke through a tensed jaw.

Rem held Arlo's gaze, a sadness sitting in his own eyes.

"She wasn't there," he continued. "And neither were the instructions or the battery."

No.

"We leave now," Arlo ordered, not caring to finish attaching his waist pack as he went immediately out of the doors, brushing passed Rem. He was on top of his horse in the blink of his eye, barely waiting for his fellow Corps before he was racing towards Amber Island.

His body was stiff, his heart hard against the front of his chest as they went. All of them didn't dare to say anything, nor could they likely manage. They only rode on, pushing their horses to maximum speed as they weaved through town.

The whole scene reminded him of a time before, when they were rushing to Jo's aid against the snailbobs.

But this time it was worse. Much worse.


	8. Chapter 8

Scared was not an emotion that Jo felt often. But staring into the eyes of the rat standing before her - the racing in her heart could not be confused for anything else.

She couldn't move. She didn't dare to. It was as if she were frozen in her place on the floor, the wall against her back keeping her grounded.

Time was bound to run out, though. This creature didn't seem like the type to wait forever, which meant any second it could lunge at her.

Swallowing, Jo slowly moved her hands as she continued their eye contact. She was still aware of the other rat that had joined them, but she couldn't bring herself to shift her gaze between the two of them. Her hands moved around her lower back, straining to reach the item that was held within the straps. All she could feel was the smooth edges of the end of her sword. There was no way she could pull retrieve it from this side.

Think, Jo.

She knew she couldn't reach her arms over her head without alarming the rats. If they were to move in on her then she didn't know if she could trust her herself enough not to fumble and fail to pull her weapon out.

She had really done it this time.

Trying to plan her next move, she let out a slow breath, but it had been louder than she had intended - wisping harshly from her through her lips.

And that's when the rats could not wait any longer.

Their pitch-black eyes widened as their muscles seemed to awaken, gripping their pipes tightly. Jo was sure her expression was filled with complete panic as they both jumped forward, swinging their pipes downward simultaneously. However, she managed to push her body into motion, tuck and rolling off to her left in order to escape their advances.

As she landed out of the way of their blows, her hands finally reached towards her upper back and slid out the emerald sword that had been waiting. It was heavier than she remembered as she held its full weight in her hands. Her grip moved to find the handle as she stood, bending her knees as she faced the rats again.

Was she really going to try and fight these things?

Just then, one rat came forward, swinging its pipe to Jo's right as she stepped to dodge it.

Apparently she was.

Clenching her teeth, Jo swung her own arms forward as she brought the sword right down on one of the rats. The blade caught its arm, slashing a cut across its fur that instantly bled. The sight of the blood made her gasp as the blade nearly slipped from her fingers. However, the other rat running at her quickly made her hands tense again.

When the rat brought its pipe towards her, she blocked it with her sword before kicking the rat in the stomach, sending it into the cave wall. The impact was enough to knock the creature out, causing it to fall to the floor in a slump.

One down.

Shifting her weight, Jo turned to the remaining rat, watching as it began to snarl at her.

"Cute," she taunted it, not able to help herself.

Her voice had obviously displeased the rat as it advanced on her once again, its sword swaying side to side multiple times as it tried to hit her. Jo kept backing away from the attempted blows, but quickly ran out of room as she felt her back bump into the other side of the cave. She needed to dodge again, but she was too slow as the metal pipe came into contact with her rib cage.

The blow made Jo gasp again, but this time it was due to having all of the air knocked out of her. Her hand moved to grasp her side, trying to soothe the ache in her bones and lungs.

As the rat noticed her pain, it screeched at her as if laughing… mocking. The sound made Jo's blood begin to boil as she felt as though she was beginning to see red.

"It's not polite to laugh," she spoke through her teeth. But the rat did not stop, only making the noise again. It was so proud of itself and keen on taunting her that it didn't anticipate her next movement.

In a flash, Jo raised her sword and brought it downward with all her might. However, the blade wasn't what slashed through the rat's fur this time, but instead, she had led with the handle of the sword in order to slam it against the top of its head.

A loud thud resonated from the impact before the rat's eyes rolled backward. It collapsed on the floor, landing on top of its friend that was still snoozing away.

Jo stood there, her lips parted and body shaking as she stared at her two victims. She felt sweat over her forehead and upper lip, causing her to swipe at both areas with the heel of her hand.

Holy crap.

She couldn't feel any part of her body aside from the pain stabbing into her ribcage, causing her to question whether she would be able to take a step without falling to the floor with the rats. But she needed to get out of there before more unwanted guests found her.

Looking back the way that she had come, Jo walked on wobbly legs as she headed back up the trail. She had figured she could do it. She could find her way back out of the cave. Really, she just had to - because going further into the cave was only going to lead to a worse fate.

Trudging up the path a few feet, Jo felt her heart drop into the deepest part of her stomach as she noticed something that had definitely not been there before.

"No."

She rushed forward, her sword falling from her hands.

"No, no, no."

She was then stopped, grasping the bars of what was now blocking her path.

A metal gate. She didn't know how or when, but at some point during her battle with the rats the gate had come down and locked her inside. There was no way of going back out the way that she had come in.

The only way she could go was down. Deeper into the mine.

Jo let out a sob, resting her forehead against the bars as she continued to grip the metal in her hands.

"No, no, no," she said again, her voice bubbling out as her eyes were closed tight.

How could this be? How could she have been so stupid?

Arlo was right.

She began to unscrew her features as she shook her head slowly, rolling her forehead against the bars. She let out deep breaths, her nose running as wet tears remained down her face.

Why hadn't she listened? Why did she have to let her temper get the best of her and not listen to Arlo?

"You're purposely putting yourself in danger."

She had only been trying to help.

But now she couldn't even help herself.

As if on cue, she could hear a screech from behind her. It was deeper within the cave, but Jo knew that it was inevitably something that she had to face.

You can't stay like this, Jo. If you just stand here then they're bound to find you and overpower you. You need to move.

With one last shaky breath leaving her, Jo pushed herself away from the bars before slowly turning around. Her sword laid on the floor, waiting for her exactly where she had left it. She moved forward, grabbing the handle as she lifted the weapon upright in front of her. Her arms were no longer shaking as she caught her reflection in the blade.

You did this, so how are you going to fix it?

Just like that day with the snailbobs, apparently this was the option she was going with. It was really her only option.

She needed to find them before they found her.

Keeping the sword at the ready, Jo stepped quietly down the pathway as she eased herself further into the cave. She was silent, but so was everything else - which definitely didn't help settle her nerves. Due to the fact that she had only heard screeching moments ago, she knew there was no way that she wasn't in there alone.

"I know you're here, you mangy things," she whispered to herself.

Still continuing her path, Jo found nothing as she went down each narrow trail. Every time she rounded a corner, her biceps tensed as she prepared herself to strike. However, she never found a reason to as she came across nothing on the other side.

To some, the absence of her enemies may have seemed like a positive, but she knew it wasn't. She could feel that something was wrong from the tip of her head down to the ends of her toes. The silence was too eerie not to make her feel any different.

Her body growing exhausted from keeping her guard so high, Jo could feel the temperature growing colder in the cave as she went down further. The whole scene was becoming more threatening by the second, but she tried to keep her head up no matter the circumstances. Perhaps that was foolish, but she needed something to hold onto.

And then she heard a sound.

She was nearing a passageway and she could hear a scuffle followed by a small snickering. If it hadn't been so quiet throughout the entire cave than she may not have heard her, but she had.

Then she could see through the passage, making out a large room that had items cluttered on every side as if someone were hoarding away treasure for their keeping.

What is this?

She slowed her pace further, but now she really was faced with the inevitable. For, on the other side of the room, was a doorway - one that was a clear exit out of this place. Only, the door was not as accessible as one, especially her, might have hoped. Between her and the door, were about three rats standing together, appearing as though they had been waiting for her.

And they had. Or she was sure that they had been as they wouldn't have resorted to such stillness otherwise.

Now her drawn out movements seemed pointless, causing her to move her legs swiftly into the room in order to take her place. She needed to show them that she wasn't afraid or else they would eat her alive. Probably literally…

"Looking for me?" she asked, not even sure if they could understand her.

Three of them and one of me. You took out two earlier, Jo. You can handle one more.

As soon as the thought passed through her mind, there was movement heard from behind her, causing her to glance over her shoulder.

Three more had appeared.

Okay.

She turned forward to the first three again.

Six of them and one of me. Still feeling confident here?

The rats hissed at her, causing Jo to prep the sword in her hands as she once again bent her knees.

She definitely wasn't feeling confident, but she also wasn't willing to give in.

It was true. She didn't belong there. She was in danger.

She was only a builder.

Well, really, she was the daughter of a builder. Only attempting to step into his shoes.

But she had also been something else her entire life. Something of her own, not just something she had been trying to be.

A fighter.

* * *

Arriving outside of the Haunted Cave, Arlo barely stopped his horse before he was sliding off to the ground.

"Arlo, wait!" Sam called out as they were still feet behind him. However, he barely heard her words as he eased into the entrance of the cave, pausing momentarily in order to listen.

It was quiet - very unsettling.

And one thought crossed his mind for the briefest of moments.

What if she wasn't in there? What if the instructions and battery "missing" were actually not indicators that she had entered the cave alone? Perhaps they were just placed elsewhere for the Corps to gather and Jo was safe and sound at the Round Table or roaming the Tree Farm.

But did that really sound like Jo?

There was an easy way to figure that out. Arlo stepped fully through the entrance of the cave, immediately noticing that the walls were lit and there was a humming sound off to his right. He glanced over to see the very battery, that he had watched Jo assembling that afternoon, neatly connected to the now roaring generator.

She's been here, all right. But is she still here?

"Any sign of her?" Sam asked as she appeared behind Arlo.

He shook his head.

"That could be a good sign," Rem stated. "She could have restored the generator and just left."

"Let's hope that's the case," Arlo said, his voice low.

The three walked forward, looking left and right in order to find any clues as to whether Jo had left already. There was one clear path that led further into the cave, and Arlo was praying that she hadn't used it.

"There's something over here," Rem said as he stood in the passageway. "Looks like a few objects."

"Jo's?" Arlo asked, taking quick steps as he crossed the room.

Rem shook his head. "Looks like some of the missing items." He held both up for Arlo to see.

"Emily's bucket and Martha's pot," Sam confirmed.

Damn.

"We knew it!" Sam said. "All the other stuff has to be in here too." She gestured down the path, her feet dancing as she was ready to explore further.

"I'm not concerned about everyone's missing things," Arlo said, turning to look at the girl. "We need to find Jo ."

Sam pressed her lips tightly together, but nodded at him. Rem followed by simply sliding the two found items into the pack on his back, keeping them out of sight.

"Do we split up then?" Sam asked. "Someone goes to look for her back at the workshop and the other two go down the cave?"

Arlo shook his head. "No. We stay together. If she's back at the workshop then at least she's safe. If she's in here… alone… with God knows what - then we need the full backup."

Rem nodded. "Gotta clear it out someway. Whether she's here or not… let's just hope she's not."

Yes… let's.

Knowing that standing around simply talking wasn't helping them, Arlo didn't say another word as he led the way down the path. The only sound heard was the crunch of their feet on the dirt floor - which, once again, made Arlo feel uneasy.

Why was it so quiet in there? Even when they had peaked their heads in when the cave had been dark, they could still hear unidentifiable sounds coming from near and far. But now there was nothing.

He had been in his line of work for enough time to know that silence was not a good sign. Sam and Rem were likely in the same mindset.

Going further, Arlo kept his senses bright as he looked all around. Whether he was looking for any creatures to jump in on them or even just small indicators that Jo had passed through - he didn't want to miss a thing.

"Maybe we were wrong," Sam said after a few minutes. "Maybe she's not in here. Maybe there's nothing in here."

"We won't know until we reach the end," Rem stated. "Then, at least, we can unlock the other entry way by Xu's Clinic."

There had to be something in there. Arlo believed there was with every fiber of his being.

As they went further, they began to find areas where the path split. However, each time they explored multiple routes, they found various dead ends and caverns. In the end, there was only one trail that actually led further into the cave - the rest were all duds.

It was odd. All of the creatures that Arlo had ever met loved to linger in any smaller nooks or crannies they could find. It gave the best chance of coverage before they could lunge out at their enemies.

But this was different. There was nothing. Not just here or there… but anywhere.

"I don't like this," Arlo finally spoke, nearly through his teeth. "There had to be something in here, and I refuse to believe that it was all chased out with just light."

"Maybe they found another place within the cave to hide in… all together," Sam offered.

Yeah. That was exactly what Arlo was afraid of.

All he could picture was Jo… laying on the ground somewhere, knocked unconscious. But then that always opened a door for more possibilities to fill his head. Ones that were much worse.

His feet moved faster, threatening to take off in a jog. Inside of his chest and stomach was a bubbling pot of mixed emotions that he didn't know how to stabilize. He didn't know if that would be possible until he saw her. Or until he guaranteed her safety.

"What's that?" Sam asked, tearing Arlo from his jumbled thoughts.

Looking ahead, the team could see another doorway at the end of their path. What laid at the end of it, though, made Arlo's face burn - his body nearly shook with rage.

"Fuck," Arlo swore, his voice echoing of the walls. His fingers wrapped around the metal of the gate that laid before them before he began to harshly shake the structure in his hands. It wobbled only slightly, obviously not going to let up - not that he really expected it to. His chest was on fire, heaving as he laid his forehead against the gate, offering a few more swears under his breath. He could feel both sets of eyes from his team members focused on him.

"Is there a switch?" Sam asked, her eyes shifting to look around the edges of the door.

"If there is, I'm sure it's on the other side of the gate," Rem said. He was now standing at Arlo's side, slipping a hand over the bars as he stared at the Captain.

Images had started flashing through Arlo's head again, making it heavy as he raised it from the bars and let out an audible sigh. He would have liked to stay there with his forehead of the cool metal, but he knew the clock was still ticking and his team was waiting on him for guidance.

"Sam, do you have your hammer? We could wedge it under the door and try to lift it. Even if we can manage a little space, then we can at least crawl underneath."

Arlo looked to her, his features expectant as he recalled how the tactic had worked for them before.

But Sam shook her head. "Afraid not. I only brought my boxing gloves."

Damn.

He shifted his attention to his other team member. "Rem?"

The man also shook his head. "Only the gloves for me as well."

Arlo wanted to slam his head against the bars at his own dumb decisions. Of course neither of them had brought any hammers or swords - he was the one who had told them to pack light.

Now what was there? They could go grab the materials and come back, but then there was the fact that pushing the gate up may not even work. This metal felt heavier, more sturdy than what they had worked with last time.

They could run to Merlin and ask her to give them something to cut through the bars. But what if she didn't have anything on hand? Usually things like that had to be researched, written into diagrams, and then built…. And the builder they needed could be locked away in that very cave. Higgins was too slow of a builder to give them any sort of product within the day.

It all came down to time. They had none to spare already. Maybe even less than none.

"Can we mess with the mechanics?" Sam asked. She then looked up at the gears at the top of the gate. "If I can get up and fiddle with some things, then maybe we can open it."

"That's too much of a risk," Rem said. "We don't know how the system works. What if it's linked and makes more gates drop?"

Arlo sighed again. "I agree with Rem. It's a valid thought, but we could be doing more harm than good."

Sam let out an exasperated grunt, her hands lifting into the air. "Then what!? We have nothing! What can we do?"

Arlo wanted to help her calm down, but he also knew that he shared her same frustration. They were all in a similar boat. Their friend could be trapped on the other side of that gate and they were completely helpless. Normally they could anticipate anything, but this had been extremely unpredictable.

Just how Arlo had warned Jo these missions could be.

His brow furrowed as he recalled the conversation, but his expression quickly shifted to panic as they finally heard a noise from somewhere within the gate.

It was a blood curdling screech, resonating deep within Arlo's bones as his mouth fell open.

"Bandirats," he stated.

"Oh no…" Sam whispered.

All three sets of eyes were focused passed the gates, but there was nothing to see. Only the dirt path that ran a few feet forward before veering right, skewing any sightlines.

Then the sound happened again.

And before Arlo could think better of it, he was calling out.

"Jo!" his voice rang down the narrow walls. "Jooooooo!"

Silence.

Then more screeching.

"Joooooo!" he tried again, his throat already growing sore. He didn't think he had ever yelled that loud in his entire life.

"Jo!" Sam suddenly chimed in. "Jo, are you there?"

And then Rem. "Jo! It's the Corps."

Even more screeching was heard, but Arlo could make out one more noise as they listened - the swing of a blade.

It caused him to call out once more, somehow louder than even before.

"Jooooooo!"

Then the blade quieted.

The Corps were silent, as if they were all holding a unified breath.

But then came the sound of something that sent a shock of relief through Arlo's skin and also made him want to thrash at the gate until it gave in.

"Arlo?"

It was her.

There was no mistaking it.

"We're here, Jo!" Sam called out before he could.

"Sam!" Jo called back. "I'm all the way down here. But there's a gate!"

"That's where we are," Sam shouted. "We're stuck behind the gate. Can you see some way to open it?"

Couple seconds of silence passed, which only made Arlo want to yell out again. He wanted her to keep talking, to know she was okay.

"I don't see anything," Jo said. "They have to be -"

She was cut off before they heard her grunt, the sound of her blade cutting through the air reaching their ears.

She had to be fighting them. The bandirats.

They were wasting time. Arlo needed to be down there helping her… defending her. Or - they all needed to be. Not just him.

"How many are down there with you?" Rem asked, shifting from one foot to the other.

More swinging occurred, but it then silenced before Jo was able to talk again.

"Five," Jo said, sounding more out of breath. "I got one down, but the others are still up. They're like giant rats!"

"They're bandirats!" Sam called out.

However, Jo likely didn't care what they were called right then. She probably just wanted them as far away from her as she could manage.

Especially as a sudden shriek from Jo filled the Corps' ears, making each of their spines stand straight up.

"We're coming, Jo!" Arlo yelled before he was turning away from the gate and running back the direction they had come. His entire body was jumping into movement before he really had a chance to think.

But he needed to go. Even though there was another part of him that didn't fully want to.

He didn't want to leave the space by the gate. Not when he could hear her and know she was still responsive. However, it wasn't enough. They needed to get to her, and there was only one way they could possibly make that happen.

"Where are we going?" Sam asked, the other two Corps now running behind Arlo.

"The other entrance," he barked out. He continued to run forward, his sights set on only one thing.

"We're breaking down that damn door."

* * *

Jo had managed to get it down to five. However, that was more to pure luck than anything. With all of the movement, one of the rats had received an incidental elbow to the gut as it creeped in from Jo's side. After having the air knocked out of it, another rat had delivered an accidental elbow to the injured rat's head, knocking him out and sending him down. Jo was thankful to the fates working in her favor for the first time that day.

But now she was still one girl facing five rats. Ones that looked as though they lived for violence as they smiled each time they took a swing at her.

Masochists.

Jo continued to swing her sword around the space, knowing there was no science to her movements as she tried to keep the rats at a distance. She was trying not to allow her agitation to show on her face, not wanting them to know that she had no clue what she was doing. Hopefully they would think that her actions were just to mess with them and not because of her inexperience.

Another rat sprang forward, wildly swinging its pipe towards Jo as she backed out of the way. Once it realized that wasn't effective, it raised it up into the air, prepared to bring the pipe down on Jo's head as she had done to the other rat earlier. But Jo registered his movement and she was able to lift her blade up horizontally to stop the pipe from hitting her.

When the pipe collided with her sword, she pushed the rat back so it fell to the floor a few feet away. Unfortunately though, it was not enough to do any sort of damage to the creature.

The rats scrambled back together, scowling at her with their teeth bared as Jo let out a huff. It looked like her plan was holding up for now, but who knew how long it could last. How long would the clock run until the rats realized that if they worked together that they could overpower her in an instant? They weren't really working with strategies now, only blindly attacking her for the hopes of drawing blood. But would they be capable of creating those plans eventually?

Readying herself again, Jo's movements were hindered as she began to hear something off in the distance.

Was someone calling her name?

How was that possible..? Did she get knocked out without realizing it and was now stuck in some sort of dream?

No, no. That couldn't be possible.

"Jo! Are you in there?"

The voice sounded familiar.

"Jo! It's the Corps."

And so did that one.

The rats had now stopped moving too, looking back up the pathway. Jo was glad they did too. At least it validated that the voices were real and she hadn't lost her mind.

Wait… the Corps!? They were there?

And then she heard one final voice.

"Jooooooo!"

Her lips parted as she stared upward as if she would be able to see him.

"Arlo?" she called out, her voice echoing throughout the room. She hoped it would reach him.

But it was Sam who replied. And thankfully kept replying as the rats were at least kind enough to let them finish the majority of their conversation. That is, until one became impatient and jumped forward at her. Luckily, Jo hadn't taken her focus completely off of the rat and was ready to dodge the blow. What she wasn't ready for, though, was for another rat to attack moments later.

As she finished another sentence to Sam, the new rat leaped right to her and swung its pipe to catch Jo right in her knee, causing her to yelp in pain. The noise was louder than she intended, making her bend over, bracing a hand on the floor to guarantee she wouldn't go fully down. However, the movement made the pain in her knee heighten as the injury in her ribs awoke again.

"We're coming, Jo!"

She heard the voice, knowing that this belonged to Arlo.

And she wanted to call back out to him.

She wanted to tell him that she was sorry. None of them would be in this mess if it weren't for her. There was no argument against that.

Choosing not to pity herself for too long, Jo grunted as she pushed herself up again. The moment she was back on her two feet, a rat was coming towards her with its claws thrashing this time.

"Whoa!" Jo called out, stepping out of the way. Her knee wobbled, but she was able to sidestep enough for her so she could turn and land a blow to the rat's side with the handle of her sword.

The rat screamed in pain, falling to the floor in a twitch as it tried to grasp its side. It wasn't knocked out, but its lowered state gave Jo the chance to give it a kick in the same place it was injured, increasing her chances of it not getting up.

As she focused on this rat, it gave another one the opportunity to kick out her ankle, sending her down as pain radiated throughout her entire leg now.

I think they're getting smarter.

She looked up in time to see the rat bringing the pipe straight down towards her head. Thankfully, she had enough sense, and mobility, to roll out of the way. This caused the rat to stab the pipe straight into the floor and get its weapon wedged into the clumped dirt. It squealed as it desperately tried to pull the item out, but was having no success.

Clenching her teeth, Jo worked against her injuries in order to wave her sword towards the rat and slash through its upper thigh. The second the blood appeared, Jo's hard features softened, her eyes wide as she stared at the cut and the rat's sad features.

They're trying to kill you, Jo.

The words didn't help as she stared at the rat, wanting to rip off a piece of her shirt in order to wrap its wound. But for what? For it to just turn right back around and try to hurt her again? Who was she kidding?

However, staring at the rat for such an extended period of time did help her in one way. As she studied it's response, she also noticed its outward characteristics.

One of those being something that sat on a chain around its neck.

A key.

Jo looked to the other rats, but found exactly what she expected. Nothing. The rat in front of her was the only one wearing it, which meant the key was important.

And she figured she could safely confirm what the key was used for. It had to be to the door sitting only twenty feet from her that led to her freedom. That could save her.

She needed to get that key.

* * *

Arlo would need to give his horse a break for at least a week after how hard he was pushing the mare that day. The other Corps didn't even stand a chance of keeping up as Arlo pressed for his horse to bolt through the fields towards their destination.

But they needed to get to Jo. As soon as possible. Though they had managed to hear from her only moments ago, Arlo knew how quickly things could go south. He didn't want to waste any more time.

Reaching the top of the hill near the clinic, Arlo jumped off of his horse as he had done before. He then went to the door, placing his hands against the wood as if trying to feel the vibrations of sound within.

"God, Arlo," Sam said, slowing her horse before climbing down. "Really pushing it to the limits."

Arlo let the comment bounce off of him as he turned to his team.

"Sam, go grab your hammer," he ordered. He knew hers was just inside with all of her other tools, meaning it would also be the quickest to grab. "Rem, come over here and help me to start with this lock."

"On it!" Sam called out, running back towards their headquarters.

Arlo and Rem then kneeled down to the handle of the door, gazing at the lock before Arlo reached into his waistpack to grab a snail urchin spike. He shoved it into the lock and began to jiggle it around to trigger something inside.

"You okay, boss?" Rem said, his voice low for only Arlo to hear.

The question wasn't what had caught Arlo off guard, but rather, it was the tone of Rem's voice.

Arlo furrowed a brow, shaking his head as he continued his work.

"Fine, Rem. Why do you ask?"

They had been on dozens of missions together of all different severity and not once had Rem ever asked him something like that. What was he playing at?

"I couldn't help but notice that you seem a little… frazzled by this case," Rem stated.

Arlo nearly dropped the spike, starting to add up what Rem was implying. However, he managed to keep his tool steady as he continued his work.

What could he say? Arlo had been running on pure impulse this entire time and hadn't even really thought about his actions and behaviors. Perhaps he had been frazzled… but it had gone unnoticed by him until then.

So when he broke it down… why was he acting this way?

Among a few answers that flashed through his head, Arlo only fully trusted one of them - knowing that it was true.

"I feel slightly responsible, I suppose," he told his mate. "Perhaps if I hadn't been so hard on her then she would have been more… compliant."

Arlo could see Rem shaking his head. "Don't do that to yourself. You ordered her not to go, but she still went. You both are iron-willed… something to look out for in the future."

Arlo nodded, a breath leaving him that was barely a laugh.

"But that persistence also means that she's going to be okay. Between you rushing to get her out and her fighting for her life in there - it's all going to work out," Rem stated, his confidence solid in his words.

I really hope that's true.

Before Arlo could say anything else, both men could hear swift steps approaching them.

"Got it!" Sam yelled as she appeared. Rem and Arlo stood from their spot by the door, Arlo tossing the spike to the side as it was proving to be useless.

"Right. Time to go all in," Arlo said, taking the hammer from Sam.

This could either be incredibly easy - the door giving within seconds - or very difficult if the door didn't barge for even a hundred blows. Arlo was trying to mentally prepare himself for either outcome.

He bounced the handle of the hammer in his hands, readying himself for the first swing. Time for the moment of truth.

We're coming, Jo.

* * *

The key.

She needed to get that key even if she had to rip it from his neck. She only hoped that she would be capable of that due to the exhausted muscles of her arms. Holding up her sword was becoming difficult as she was beginning to run out of stamina, wishing she could ask the rats for a five minute break to recuperate a bit.

Wouldn't that be something?

That option was obviously comical as Jo still sat in the cave with rats who would love nothing more than to tear her apart then and there. Her existence was enough to make them seize with anger, but now she had also hurt a few of their crew. That certainly didn't sit well with any of them.

But Jo didn't care how much they hated her guts. If anything, the feeling was mutual, but she wasn't going to let her anger get the best of her. Not now. Not when she was currently facing the repercussions of reacting from her temper concerning Arlo bossing her around that afternoon.

Oh, if only she could go back and lecture that version of herself.

Not holding onto that mental image, Jo became fixated on the key around the rat's neck once again. Exhausted or not, she needed to get her hands on it.

Using her sword for leverage, Jo lifted herself from the ground. Her leg twitched in irritation, but she forced her mind to focus elsewhere. She could work through the pain. She had done it before - she could do it again.

Though she hadn't anticipated it, Jo was still ready for one of the remaining rat's advances as it shot forward and tried to grasp onto her. She met the attack by placing her hands on the rat's shoulders and using all the force she had to shove it away from her and land in a pile of boxes a few feet away.

Then another came to her, landing a blow of a pipe to her bicep. However, Jo refused to call out in pain this time and, instead, sucked in a sharp breath to express her discomfort.

Now her temper kicked in, without any of her control, as she swung around to drive an elbow into the rat's head. The impact made it stagger backward in a daze as it bumped into one of its buddies.

And then the rat with the key was approaching her, making terrible hissing noises as it tried to overtake her without its weapon - as it was still wedged in the ground. As it got close to her, Jo remained focused on the key around its neck, attempting to reach for it as the creature and her danced around each other. However, they were a cluster of swings, lazy blows, and small dodges as they both tried to reach their own end goal.

Jo's frustration grew by the second, groaning to herself as she kept up her efforts.

Something had to give.

Deflecting another punch, Jo tried to reach for the chain again, only falling short as the rat leaned away from her grasp.

Come on.

Wondering how much longer they could keep this up, they both found a break in their actions as a loud thud rumbled through the cave. It sounded like thunder vibrating through every wall, causing Jo to look around as if searching for a sign of lightning.

And she found it. The sound was coming from the door. Someone had to be on the other side, trying to force their way in through the thick wood. The door wiggled at each impact of whatever was hitting it, but didn't seem like it was exactly giving way just yet. Still, at least she knew someone was there. Someone was trying.

And the noise also helped her catch the rat off guard.

As the rat still looked towards the door, Jo pulled an arm back and sent a fist forward with all of her might. Her rib cage screamed from the movement, hindering the blow a little - but it was still enough. The rat took the punch to the side of the head and stumbled to the side. As it tried to recover, Jo swiftly reached forward, pulled the chain from its neck, and then began to back up towards the shaking door.

Almost there. You've got this.

Jo was a few feet from freedom when she felt her legs get swept out from under her. The culprit to her fall being the tail the rat had swung at her like a controlled whip.

She grunted, thankful that she had managed to clench the key in her hand as she went down. The last thing she needed was to accidentally toss the key through the cave and lose complete track of it amongst the dirt and clutter.

Well, you almost had it.

Shifting her head to look at the rat, Jo then rolled onto her back so she could keep her eyes on the rat's movements. She turned just in time to see the rat walking forward, nearly foaming at the mouth as it stared down at her.

You have the key. You just need to get to the door.

But how? She needed a way to distract the rat. The impact of whatever was hitting the door from the other side was no longer of any concern to the creature, which meant she needed something else.

Looking around, Jo found nothing. There were only the other rats that had fallen unconscious or were too worried about their own injuries to care to fight anymore. To that, Jo was thankful.

But there was still the one rat before her that didn't care about its wound. It only cared about finishing this spar on its own terms.

Speaking of its own terms, still unable to access any further diversion, Jo's eyes snapped back to the rat as it threw itself into the air. It was flying forward, sure to land on top of her with its teeth and claws ready to dig in.

Gasping, Jo's hands acted faster than her mind, grabbing an object and placing it in front of her.

Then came the noise. The scream of the rat as it landed directly on top of her sword instead, the blade sliding clean through it like a skewer. Tears began to form on the edge of Jo's eyes as she looked up at the creature - seeing the way it's features went from pained to completely lifeless.

Her hands shaking, she was able to push the sword and the rat to the left of her before either had the option to fall down on her. She then sat up, feeling some stomach bile creep up her throat, but never make it fully out of her mouth as she scooted away.

The cave was silent again, the only sound soon reaching her ears was her own breathing as she looked at the rat in continued horror.

She had done it. She had…. Killed it.

Blinking, a tear streamed down her face as she stared at the half open eyes, the limp limbs, the blood.

Why did she feel like this? How could she when she knew that the alternative would have resulted in her being left in that state?

Trying to still her trembling lip, Jo forced herself to stand as her eyes stayed on the rat. Her sword still remained through it, but she couldn't bring herself to retrieve it. She knew it was a gift… but she would explain what happened to Django. She would get him to understand.

Tearing her eyes away, Jo wiped at her cheek as she didn't dare to look at the other rats around her. Whether they were watching her or not, she didn't think she could handle their reactions. Meaning the reactions of the creatures who had been trying to kill her only moments before.

Get out of here. Just get out.

Jo tried to walk on her leg, but nearly went down within the first step. Quickly adjusting, she refused to have to crawl or drag herself to the door, so she decided to hop in the desired direction on her good leg. It seemed to be effective as she closed the space between herself and the exit, bracing herself against the sturdy wood as she reached it.

The moment her palms slammed against the wood, Jo also realized that the hammering had stopped around the same time she had killed the rat.

What if the Corps on the other side had heard the death cry? What if they had thought it was her?

Adjusting the key in her hand, Jo fumbled a little before she was able to slip the metal piece into the lock. It didn't fit at first, causing her heart to hammer into her chest as she worried she had been mistaken. Maybe the key was for something else. Maybe even for the gate back up the path, which Jo knew she would never be able to make it to on her injured leg.

But then the key finally slid into the lock, causing it to click as she began to turn it. And then she was twisting the handle, pushing the door open.

She was out.

* * *

Every muscle in Arlo's arms and shoulders was screaming in a form of agony. He had found a rhythm to his hammering, but that didn't mean it came with any sort of ease. Due to the weight of the object along with the accelerated rate that he was landing the blows, it was having a negative effect on his own wellbeing. Plus, the blows were having no effect on the door.

It rattled underneath each collision, but showed no signs of actually busting open. The hinges held, the rock around the door didn't ease up. But despite how unpromising it all seemed, Arlo wasn't willing to give up.

He gritted his teeth, continuing his actions even as he heard more people gathering around the scene.

"What's going on here?" he heard someone ask from behind him. He could identify the voice as Xu's.

Great. Just what he needed.

"We're trying to break in," Sam told him.

"I can see that. But for what?" Xu continued. "It's quite late."

Arlo's shoulders only ached more as he tried to ease the urge not to spin around and yell at the man. They knew it was late. Anyone could see that. However, the fact that it was late and they were still here obviously meant it was an emergency. Shouldn't a doctor understand that?

"Jo is inside," Sam stated, her voice growing tender.

"The other entrance was blocked. Our only option is to break down this door," Rem informed him.

"Jo is in there?" Phyllis said, almost as a gasp.

"How could you let this happen?" Xu asked, his tone growing defensive.

You have got to be kidding me.

Thankfully, Rem jumped in before he could.

"Whoa there - slow down. Don't go pointing fingers about something you know nothing about," he said.

The only response from Xu was a single huff.

"Is there anything we can do?" Phyllis' asked.

"No," Sam told her. "We just have to wait for the door to give…"

The way her sentence fell off slightly voiced what was going through all of the Corps' head now. They didn't know if the door would ever give.

What did give, though, was the hammer in Arlo's hands.

To his complete surprise, the hammer suddenly snapped. He watched as the head fell off of the handle, sending it to the floor with a loud clammer.

Bloody hell.

Throwing the handle off to the side, Arlo spun around and was ready to head back to the headquarters again. He couldn't even register those around him as he needed to go get another hammer as soon as possible.

"Arlo, slow down," Rem said, placing a hand on the man's arm.

"We need another hammer," he insisted, shooting Rem a look.

"So, I'll go get it," Rem told him. "Relax. Take a break. I'll be back."

But even as the man took off back to the Corps' building, Arlo felt his agitation only grow. At least if he had gone to get the hammer then he could have kept himself busy somehow and not had to stand around with his pestering thoughts. Not to mention the few people who stood around them now, making him edgy.

Between Xu's brooding looks and Carol quietly crying at the scene, Arlo wanted to tear his hair out.

Noticing his state, Sam and Phyllis approached him as they offered a few words of reassurance.

"We're almost in, Arlo," Sam said. "It's bound to give any second."

Arlo shook his head at this, tensing his jaw as he looked off in another direction.

"You're doing great," Phyllis said, placing a hand on his shoulder. She then slid it up to find the back of his neck, ruffling through the ends of his hair. "We all know everything is going to be okay on your watch."

Why did either of them think he needed to hear this right now? They had a job to be done and he was the Captain leading the entire thing. He didn't need words to put him at ease - he just needed to end this mission successfully.

He stepped away from Phyllis' hand, but soon felt it right back on him. She placed it on his forearm, her thumb rubbing against his jacket.

What was going on?

"I need to go and inspect the door," Arlo said, needing distance. He began to turn back to the door, his ears perking up as a scream was heard from the other side.

"Jo!" Sam called out.

Simultaneously, Sam and Arlo sprinted over to the door, pressing their ears against the wood as they listened for anything else on the other side.

They both faced one another, holding each other's gaze as they tried to make out any noise. However, the only thing that they could hear was the sound of sniffling as Phyllis had begun to cry.

Where the hell was Rem with that hammer?

Arlo could feel his pulse from every section of his body as they remained silent. The same feeling of helplessness overtook him as he waited, feeling the urge to yell out in frustration.

She had to be okay. She had to be. What would he do if she wasn't?

He couldn't even answer that question. He didn't know how.

Pulling him out of his thoughts, Arlo was able to focus on Sam in front him again - noticing how she was staring at him. She was searching his expression, her features tense before she smoothed them to show her own worry. But there was also sympathy.

Arlo could hear a door open in the distance followed by harsh feet pressing into the ground. He was sure it was Rem making his way back to them with the hammer. Or so he was hoping.

Sam pulled her ear away from the door as she turned her head to look towards the noise. Arlo began to open his mouth to ask if she could see Rem when he felt pressure coming from the other side of the door. The shift caused Sam to immediately turn back, her eyes wide as she stared at him.

Then they both could hear the sound of metal scrapping, causing a small squeak near the handle of the door. The noise caused them both to step backward, their shoulders nearly touching as they stared down at the knob for further movement.

Could rats do that? Would they mess with them that way?

Let it be Jo. Let it be her.

Then the knob fully twisted before the door was finally being pushed open.

Arlo held his breath, his heartbeat in his ears as whoever opened the door was finally revealed.

"Jo," he sighed, his breath finally releasing as he saw the girl standing in front of them. She was a mess of dirt across her face and clothes, spots of blood across her shirt - that didn't necessarily appear to be hers. Her eyes were partially turned red, leading him to believe that she had been crying.

But despite her state - she was here. Right in front of him. And she was okay.

"Oh thank God," Sam said, looking as though she wanted to rush forward to the girl.

However, before she could, Jo was already taking a step towards them, stumbling forward as Arlo could see there was something wrong with her right leg.

He beat Sam to the punch, moving to Jo in order to catch her and support her weight completely. Jo looked dazed, uncertain as she slowly glanced up to him - her brown eyes shining up into his blue.

"Arlo," she said, her voice wavering. It made his heart pull.

And then she threw her arms around his neck, bringing herself fully against him as she nuzzled into him. His arms immediately wrapped around her, in a way he couldn't fully fathom. But he kept her close and stable.

"I'm so sorry," she finished into his ear. Only for him to hear.


	9. Chapter 9

Arlo could hardly sleep that night as he tossed and turned for hours. He was stuck in an endless cycle of nearly falling asleep, but being instantly woken up due to his worried mind straying back to Jo - who was across the way at Xu's Clinic.

After Jo escaped from the cave, and fell right into his arms, everything happened in a flash. Arlo didn't even have time to respond to Jo's words as she was quickly pulled away and led to the clinic as soon as possible. It had left him feeling scattered and unfulfilled, though he knew that bringing her somewhere safe to get checked out had been more important.

But once they had brought her to the infirmary, Xu and Phyllis shooed the Corps out as they needed the space to attend to her. Arlo had wanted to argue, to tell them that he needed to stay - but it was useless. Because he hadn't actually needed to stay… he just wanted to.

Seeing her laying in the bed, falling limp as she began to feel the full effect of her injuries, he wanted to help her through it. Or even if Sam was able to stay and be the one to hold her hand - he just wanted her to have a friend.

Jo and him were friends. They had established that. The bond that they created had been abrupt and had grown quickly, but he figured that was likely because that was Jo's way. He had never experienced something like this with anyone else, but it wasn't just him. Jo had a similar effect on many others in the town.

Only, the Corps had the privilege of spending more time with the girl than the rest, which made him feel like one of them should have been there. One of them should have stayed to comfort her.

As his relentless thoughts continued, Arlo slipped in and out of sleep. Each time he would come back to his senses, he would sit up and check his clock - noting that it was consistently too early for him to be going anywhere.

Just one more hour. Then you can go over.

Sighing to himself, he laid back into his mattress as he stared up at the ceiling.

He only hoped that Jo was getting a better night's sleep than him. She needed the rest.

He didn't even know the full details of her injuries yet, but he knew there had definitely been some damage done. Especially to her right leg. Images flashed through his head of what could have actually occurred while in the cave. They hadn't even had time to search the interior due to all of the commotion.

But that didn't matter. Jo was the priority. As long as she was resting this time then everything would be okay. She was going to be perfectly okay...

Sudden chiming filled his ears, causing him to flinch from the harsh sound. His eyes flew open as he once again found himself staring up at the ceiling. Only this time, he felt out of sorts.

Glancing over to his clock, the number glowing back at him instantly caused Arlo to launch himself out of bed.

How had he slept in so late? He said one more hour and instead that became three. Blast - leave it to his own body to betray him.

Darting around the room, Arlo quickly got dressed, stumbling here and there as he did so with such little light. He wouldn't have been surprised if he later discovered he was wearing his shoes on the wrong feet or his pants backwards. But that all seemed irrelevant in the heat of the moment.

Finally decent, he darted out of the room to find the main area of the headquarters silent and empty. He was glad too. His oversleeping was already embarrassing enough. He didn't need an audience seeing him stumbling out of his room looking completely unnerved.

Straightening his bandana, Arlo crossed the room and went out the front door. His ears were burning as he made his way through the grass, his steps the only sound he actually processed. Then he was there - pushing open the door to the infirmary.

As he stepped inside, multiple faces turned to look at him. Their gaze made him feel uneasy until he managed to look past them and catch Jo's eyes with his own.

"Hey there, Cap," she said, her voice gentle but still spirited.

"Hey," he said, remembering himself. He walked forward, giving nods to Sam, Rem, and the two doctors sitting in the room. Presley was also there, but he sat away in his own corner as he seemed to be filling out a form. No doubt it was the incident report usually requested by the Mayor in these situations.

"How are you doing?" Arlo asked, his eyes returning to her.

She looked better than the last time he'd seen her. Or at least - cleaner. There was no longer dirt all over her, or blood. The absence of both seemed to help bring the color and liveliness back to her skin.

"I'm okay," she told him, giving him a small smile. "Just a little banged up."

"I'd say," Rem jumped in, his voice was kind despite him playing the real informative. "Sprained her ankle and knee - both have swelled up nearly three times their usual size. Doc says she's lucky she didn't break either."

Arlo looked to Xu who nodded in confirmation.

"Don't forget the bruised rib," Sam jumped in, causing Arlo to spin to her.

"A bruised rib?" the words fell from his mouth.

Jesus.

"I'm fine," Jo stated her infamous words.

Sam sighed. "We know, we know. It could have been a lot worse. But it also could have been a lot better, Jo… it could have never happened."

Arlo was surprised that Sam had managed to voice those thoughts before he could, but he was glad that she had. Perhaps it would soften the blow for when Arlo would come back around to talk to Jo.

Jo nodded, her eyes looking down as she fiddled with an edge of the ice pack on her knee.

"I know," she stated, her voice steady. "Trust me, no one believes that more than I do."

Arlo pressed his lips together as he let her words sink in. All night he had gone back and forth between what he wanted to say to her when he finally got the chance. However, he found that all the scenarios he had played out didn't seem right in the actual moment. They didn't make sense.

Because he believed her. He was disappointed and upset with her, but he could also tell that Jo had learned some sort of lesson. She may be inflexible when she had reason, but she was willing to admit when she had done wrong.

"Just glad you're safe," Sam finally said, her voice firm. "Don't ever scare me like that again or I'll feed you to a bandirat myself."

Now the room eased as most of them began to chuckle at Sam's words.

"I promise I won't," Jo confirmed.

The space grew quiet as they became focused on Xu's movements as he switched out the ice packs on Jo's knee and ankle. Arlo's eyes caught both areas, his stomach clenching as he noticed the difference in size - as Rem had mentioned.

"Would you all mind…" Jo's voice filled the room again, causing Arlo's eyes to shift up to her. He found that she was already staring at him. However, she moved her gaze away as she finished her sentence. "If I have a moment alone with Arlo?"

The top of his head began to prickle as he watched those around them nod and give a jumbled response of needing to leave or get to work anyway. The Corps and Presley were soon out of the door while the clinic's staff were shuffling away to the back of the room. Though Phyllis made sure to drag a gentle hand along Arlo's back as she went past him, giving him a wink the second she removed it. She then continued to follow Xu, sharing a bit of hushed conversation.

Arlo watched them, his mind yet again wondering why she had found the need to touch him so openly in the midst of the matter. But his thought drifted and his eyes went back to Jo as she tapped the open seat next to her.

"Join me, won't you?" she asked, her voice light.

Arlo gave her a half smile, moving to the seat. "Sure."

The air between them grew silent as they stared at one another and then away, both unsure who should talk first. But inevitably, Jo took it upon herself.

"I'm sure you know why I want to talk to you," she stated as she looked up at him.

Arlo nodded. "I have a pretty good idea."

"And I fully expect you to be angry with me. Lecture me. Want distance from me," she told him. "But I think it's important that you know just how sorry I am."

Upon the last words of her sentence, Arlo could hear her voice whispering a similar sentiment into his ear only the night before, causing him to swallow hard.

"I am so sorry."

"I know, Jo," Arlo said.

"I know it was foolish and there is no excuse for my actions," Jo continued.

He remained silent, his features indifferent as he stared at her.

"It doesn't matter if I'm stubborn, restless, or if you challenged me. It doesn't matter," she told him. "I shouldn't have gone."

She was right. She shouldn't have.

"And I'm embarrassed that I did. Because you were and are right - I didn't belong down there. I had no right to put myself into that situation."

True. Though, he did feel bad about telling her she didn't belong. It had been poor wording on his part, which he was sure only had burned a fire deeper in her.

"But when I get these ideas in my head… I… It's just...there's no stopping me. Even I can't do it," she told him, her voice rushed. "I felt like I had something to prove."

"Jo…" Arlo began, trying to cut her off.

"And I know I ruined whatever trust I had built with you. I can accept that. But I also want to do whatever I can to get it back, and show you -"

"Jo," he tried again.

"You were trying to protect me and I wouldn't listen. No matter what my better sense tried -"

"Jo, stop," he finally stated, his voice strong. It nearly came out as an order.

But it had worked as Jo had stopped talking and was staring at him - her features uncertain, but expectant.

"I know you're sorry," he stated. He paused for a moment, gathering the proper thoughts before proceeding. "I know that."

"But, you're wrong about a few things," he told her. "Despite the ideas that you've put into your head, I have not lost trust in you… I'm not angry with you. I was angry before, but it was never with you. It was for the situation and how both of us handled it."

Jo continued to stare at him, a sadness residing in her eyes.

"I can go back and point out what each of us did wrong - from the beginning to the end. I can give you a long speech about how completely idiotic it was for you to go into that cave, especially alone…. Because it was extremely idiotic… but neither of those things would change what happened, and I wouldn't be telling you something you didn't already know."

She nodded, looking down for a moment, which caused him to continue.

"But something you do need to get into your head, Jo…" he began, knowing that he was flying from the seat of his pants as he stated the thoughts suddenly filling his head. "...is that I understand. I understand what it's like to care so much about something that you have to stick with it. To see it through." He paused, but inevitably continued. "It doesn't make up for the fact that you went and put yourself in danger, but I can't sit here and say that I wouldn't have done the same thing. Regardless of if it were my job or not."

He didn't want to defend or completely dismiss her actions, but he did want to be reasonable. This whole thing really had started due to poor communication whether it was from not properly explaining one's needs or not using the right tone to keep someone safe. Neither side had done themselves or each other any justice.

However, now the lesson had been learned. There were repercussions to face, but at least they were not as severe as they could have been. Even that thought put those terrible pictures back into his head.

"I'm just glad you're okay," the words escaped him. He hadn't meant for them to slip out, but he also wasn't embarrassed for saying them. After all, they were the truth. So he continued.

"I wasn't upset with you for challenging my position or my word, I was upset because I care about you as an actual person. I'm sworn to protect you, but it goes beyond that."

Bloody hell. Had that come out correctly? He was really trying to get his point across with the right words, the exact meaning - but he was under the impression that he was blowing it.

Daring to glance at her, he found Jo staring at him the same way she had that day by the Western Beach. Her head tilted slightly, a small smile on her lips.

What could she be thinking?

He thought to ask, but decided to keep his curiosity to himself.

"Thank you, Arlo," Jo finally spoke, her voice soft.

Was that all she was thinking?

"You don't have to thank me…" he tried, but she shook her head.

"But I do… not only for helping to save my life, but for being so nice to me. When you don't have to be," she told him.

She stopped, looking away as she sighed.

"You have easily become… one of my closest friends here. And that's why it's so important to me that you know I'm sorry… I like being your friend," she stated. "And back when I said that I know you probably wanted to distance yourself…"

She paused as she shrugged, but then turned to look at him.

"I really don't want you to," she finished.

Her words warmed him.

"I had no intention of distancing myself," he told her. "Not when you're an unpredictable pest."

He teased her, enjoying the familiar tone in his voice. Obviously she had to, for she began to laugh as he used it.

"I care about you too," she finally stated. "I'd like to do a better job of showing that moving forward."

Her words made his body buzz as his mind thought of the possibilities of her sentiment. However, he felt himself nearly shudder as he questioned why his mind would be jumping to any lengths.

Arlo hummed, as if contemplating her words as he brought his focus back. However, he finally nodded. "I think you're capable of doing so."

Jo's features and voice grew tender. "I promise I am."

"I believe you," he confirmed.

They smiled at one another, making Arlo feel as though he were somewhere residing somewhere other than a doctor's office. But the voices belonging to Xu and Phyllis that were growing in volume said otherwise.

Perhaps it was time to leave.

"One more thing," Arlo said as he stood.

"What's that?" Jo asked, looking up to him.

"You're never going into the Haunted Cave again," he stated.

"Ah," Jo said before nodding. "I think that's fair. Orders received, Captain."

She then raised a hand up to Arlo, smirking at him as she waited for his own touch. He responded by slipping his hand into hers and they held each others grasp.

"Truce?" she asked.

"Truce," he confirmed.

And they shook on it.

* * *

Jo sighed as she stared up at the ceiling.

This was ridiculous .

"Can I at least come over there and sit in a chair?"

"Nope," Sam replied, not even looking up as she continued to flip through her "Flying Pig's Monthly" magazine.

Jo huffed again, sinking further into her bed, nearly wincing due to the jolt of pain delivered to her ribs. Luckily Sam didn't notice.

"Stop scowling," Sam spoke. "It's not going to help your case."

"I'm not scowling ," Jo said, even though she most definitely was. "I'm just bored. I've been stuck in this bed all day, and you're not even making conversation."

"Because you need to rest," Sam reminded her, her tone unfazed.

"Yeah, my leg ," Jo jumped in. "Not my mouth."

Sam laughed at this, setting down her magazine on Jo's bookshelf before looking at the brunette.

"Okay, fine," she said. "But this is as far as I'm budging."

"At this point, I'll take what I can get," Jo said, propping herself up a little more. "Beats staring at the ceiling all afternoon."

"Maybe it would help if you had more to do in here," Sam commented, looking around at the lack of Jo's belongings. Since moving in, she had only really added a bookshelf - which only contained three books - a bedside table, and two mismatched chairs. There weren't even any plants yet.

"It's not something I've had to really worry about," Jo said, shifting her own gaze around. "I don't really spend a lot of time in here. Other than to sleep."

"Fair enough. You should still spruce the place up a bit," Sam said. "Or else this could get really depressing."

Jo wanted to retort that Sam likely only felt that way because they were currently stuck in there , but she let it fall. Instead, her thoughts drifted elsewhere and she soon spoke again of different matters.

"So are you angry with me?" Jo asked, unable to hold her tongue any longer. "We haven't really talked about it."

Arlo and her had managed to nip all their issues in the bud right away, much to Jo's relief. She had thought that Arlo would have been so angry with her that he would have chosen to avoid her for days - maybe weeks. But he had surprised her by coming the next morning. To talk to her… to listen. To understand.

"...I care about you as an actual person. I'm sworn to protect you, but it goes beyond that."

The memory of his words made Jo want to squirm, but her injuries wouldn't allow it.

However , she hadn't had the same chance with Sam. The blonde had been worried about her when she also visited Jo, but there was some reserve in Sam. It wasn't something that Jo was used to, and she couldn't help but feel like she was at fault.

"I wouldn't say I'm mad, exactly," Sam began, shrugging. "I'm definitely not happy that you went and that you got hurt. But I'm freaking glad that you're okay. I really am."

Sam looked to her now, her gaze serious as her words laid in the air. The girl's usual intensity put force behind her thoughts, making them dig deeper into Jo's mind.

"Yeah… me too," Jo said, her voice lower.

She didn't mean that she was glad she was okay for her own selfish reasons, but instead meant that the incident had brought her to realize the effect that her actions had on other people. She was thankful she was okay for their sake. If the outcome had been worse then she would have just been gone, but it was everyone else who would have had to deal with her absence. Those who Jo had created relationships and bonds with who would have to bear the hurting, the burden.

And one small thought kept creeping up in her mind over and over...About the one person who would have had to deal with the loss of a daughter right after losing her husband.

Clearing her throat, Jo gave Sam a weak smile. "I promise I'll be more careful, Sam," she told the blonde. "It may take some reminding, but I won't ever knowingly or purposely put you all in that position again."

Sam returned her smile now, but then let out a slow breath.

"Okay," she said. "That's all I needed to hear."

"Well, you need to hear one more thing," Jo jumped in, causing Sam to look at her.

"Thank you," she said finally. "For everything you did to try and save me."

Sam hummed as she shrugged a shoulder. "We do what we can. Besides Arlo took the lead."

"Suppose that makes sense considering he's the Captain and all," Jo voiced.

"Yeah, guess so. But it was kinda more than that. I've never seen Arlo so determined to handle everything on his own. It was almost scary," Sam continued.

Jo couldn't help but furrow her brow at this, trying to work out Sam's words in her head. However, she was proving to have trouble sorting it out. She was ready to ask Sam for more of an explanation when a knock at the front door stopped her.

Sam was then up, pulling the door open in order to reveal who was on the other side.

"Hi," Jo heard Emily's sweet twang before she actually saw her. "Is it a bad time?"

"Not at all, Em," Jo called out from her place still on the bed. "Come on in!"

Sam followed Jo's order, taking a step back so that Emily could pass through the doorway. She was carrying a bucket in her hands - the same one that Jo had found in the caves.

"Glad to see you finally got that back," Jo mentioned, smiling as she nodded towards the bucket.

Emily's own lips pull upward as she nodded. "I have you and the Corps to thank for that. I missed it something awful."

"No big deal," Sam said, waving it off as she sat back down. "So what brings you here?"

"I just thought I would come check in. I've heard plenty about Jo's scare in the cave, but I haven't managed to see her," Emily spoke, turning to Jo. "I'm awful glad you're okay. Oh, and Granny also sent me with some treats for you. We made cookies this morning and hoped they would make you feel a little better."

Emily then began to pull out a few wrapped packages from her bucket and placed them on top of Jo's bookcase, as there was nowhere else to put them.

"Ooo jackpot, Jo. Looks like being hurt has some perks," Sam said, eyeing a package of cookies.

Jo shook her head at the woman. "You have some pretty low standards."

Sam shrugged her off. "I'm a girl who likes her sweets. Leave me alone."

Jo laughed at this, looking back to Emily. "Thank you for the cookies, Em. I really appreciate it, even if Sam does end up stealing all of them."

"I'll leave you some crumbs," Sam said, still distracted.

"Wow. What a friend," Jo said back, shaking her head. She then smiled at Emily, glad to see that the girl only laughed at Sam's behavior.

"I also came by to see if you would like to go to the Round Table tonight. I understand if that's not possible, but I would like to buy you a drink and help get you out of here. I figure it would help," Emily offered.

Even though her words were beyond appealing, Jo knew that Sam would likely not approve and turn down the offer before she could. Jo was basically chained down to her bed at this point, still bitter than Sam hadn't granted her access to at least sit in a chair.

And sure enough, Sam opened her mouth to speak before Jo could.

"That sounds like fun!" she exclaimed. "We should all go."

Well, that wasn't what Jo expected.

"What?" Jo asked the blonde. "Weren't you just the one who told me I was basically bedridden for the day? You do realize that you're contradicting all of the orders you've been giving me, right?"

"Yeahhh, but going to the Round Table won't be until this evening. You'll be plenty rested," Sam retorted. "Besides being locked in here really is starting to get to me. I'm thinkin' we need to get out."

Jo raised a brow. "And when did this realization hit you? In the last two seconds?"

"Don't be a butt, Jo. We're going - shouldn't you be excited after all your grumbling?" Sam mused.

"It wasn't grumbling," Jo stated. Her eyes then slid over to Emily. "Also, Emily only invited me. Who said anything about you?" Now she was teasing, obviously wanting to press Sam's buttons. She figured it was warranted after she had locked her up only to offer freedom at the mention of "fun."

"Emily?" Sam asked, turning her head. "Am I intruding?"

Emily instantly shook her head. "Of course not. The more the merrier!"

Sam turned back to Jo, a smug smile on her lips. "See?"

Jo had known that Emily would end up approving of Sam's company - she was inclusive and good natured that way. Jo had only wanted to double check while also pushing back at Sam.

"And you're sure Arlo will be okay with this?" Jo asked, crossing her arms.

After all, it was his orders that Sam had been following to keep Jo in bed all day while under her watchful eye. Going out to the local hot spot didn't really fit his plan for rest and recovery.

"He will be after I do plenty of convincing," Sam said. "I'll give him a whole spiel. This should be fun. It could be like a… 'Thank God Jo's Alive' party!"

"Gee. Thanks, Sam," Jo chimed in.

"It'll be great! I'll tell him he's invited. And Rem. We could also invite Phyllis and Xu -"

"Not Xu," Jo jumped in again.

"Okay. Not Xu," Sam said, on her feet as her plans were making her restless. "All those guests sound good to you, Emily?"

She nodded. "Sure do."

Sam beamed. "Maybe we should make a banner."

"If you make a banner then I am refusing to come here and now," Jo told her.

"Fine! No banner," Sam confirmed.

Jo sighed in relief. She then looked down at her legs, laying out in front of her as one was still under some ice packs. Her brows pulled together. "Looks like I'll need to find a way to move around, though… I'm not exactly thrilled about the idea of hopping around on one leg all night."

Especially with the added pressure it was sure to add to her ribs.

Sam and Emily paused for a moment, both attempting to think of a resolution as well. When suddenly, realization fled over Sam's face.

"I think that calls for some wood, nails, and a handy dandy hammer!" She said, excitement over her features. "You're gonna fix yourself some crutches!"

"Wha -what? I am?" Jo said, taken aback.

"Oh yeah. Definitely," Sam confirmed.

Emily gave an embarrassed smile as she shrugged at Jo. "It does seem like the best option."

"I do not want to use crutches," Jo stated. "Let alone build them for myself."

"Okay," Sam said, pursing her lips. "Then I guess… I'll just get Rem or Arlo to come carry you."

That's not happening.

Jo let out an exasperated breath. "Fine! Just get me the supplies from my chest."

Sam clapped her hands quickly. "On it! And then I'll go spread the word about the 'Jo's Alive' party!"

"We are not calling it that!" Jo called after her, but Sam was already out the door.

"Boy, she's determined," Emily mentioned once Sam stepped out.

"Tell me about it. Pain in my butt," Jo said. "I'm also sorry that us grabbing a drink turned into a way bigger ordeal."

"Oh, no. Not at all. It'll be nice to have even more people there who care about you," Emily said.

Her words brought a smile to Jo's face. She hadn't really known what she had done to deserve such genuine and caring people in her immediate friend group, but she was beyond thankful. Emily's sentiment made her again think of what Arlo had told her yesterday morning, only spreading the smile.

"I've got the goods!" Sam announced as she pushed the door open. She moved across the room and placed them next to Jo on the bed, making sure to avoid hitting her whatsoever. Sam then took a step back, placing her hands on her hips in a stance of pride.

Jo looked from her to the materials, still not completely thrilled about the idea. However, it was a better option that having Rem or Arlo carry her bridal style to the Round Table. There was no way she would allow that.

"Alright," Jo said, reaching for a plank of wood. She wasn't sure how well the crutches would come out when she had to build them while bedridden, but it couldn't be that hard. They didn't need to necessarily be perfect - they just needed to support her enough for the short walk. She would likely need to request someone to grab her some fiber cloth just to line the tops so she didn't have the bare wood scraping into her armpits the whole time.

"Sweet, I'm off to spread the word. Emily, can you be on Jo duty?" Sam asked, backing up towards the door. "Make sure she takes meds, if needed, and does the breathing exercises prescribed by Xu."

"Sure thing," Emily told her, moving out of Sam's way as she moved to sit in a chair.

Jo groaned. "Why does anyone have to be on 'Jo Duty?'

"Sorry. Can't hear you. Too busy getting ready to set up a stellar night out," Sam fired back.

Pain in the butt.

"See you ladies tonight!" And then Sam was gone. Shutting the door firmly behind her and likely set off in a jog as she went to go tell the others.

Jo looked at the closed door, shaking her head.

"Guess that settles that."

* * *

Being forced to stay in bed all day was one thing, but now she really felt ridiculous.

Jo and Emily walked side by side as she moved at a shaky pace due to having to rely on the crutches for support, the sting in her ribs minimal. At this point, she figured she could just walk on her injured leg and endure the pain while hobbling the whole way. But Emily had made a strong case about her using the crutches - especially when she mentioned that the ridicule from the Corps would probably be worse that night if she chose not to.

However, Jo was adamant to only use the crutches for the journey and then to just keep off of her foot for the night. She didn't have to make a big show of struggling to move around the Round Table all night. That attention was not needed whatsoever.

"After you," Emily said as she pulled the door of the Round Table open for Jo. The buzz of conversation from within was streaming out the door, confirming that there were quite a few guests at the restaurant that night. It was a Friday, after all, which meant that everyone wanted to celebrate the end of the week. Jo would have preferred that to be their excuse rather than her "being alive."

But Jo was still thankful that she was going to spend time with her friends no matter what. Even if they chose to keep calling it her "being alive" party. She was just glad that they had chosen to forgive her despite her foolish behavior - maybe that was really the correct celebration for the night.

"Thank you," Jo said, trying to keep her annoyance for needing the extra help out of her voice.

Passing through, Jo's eye instantly caught the bar counter that sat to her right, inviting her in. She needed a drink and she was determined to get one as soon as possible. Perhaps doing it then would have been the best option so she could get a head start.

However, she was unable to fulfill her plan as she heard multiple voices begin to call her and Emily's names in order to beckon them over. Jo turned from the bar and saw a full table of people waiting for them - the exact ones that Sam had promised.

Emily and Jo began to make their way over to them, Jo obviously moving slower behind Emily as she tried to maneuver her way through narrow openings. When she looked up, she saw Sam looking over the backside of her seat, her smile wide and stunned as she stared back at Jo. All Jo could do in return was shake her head as she continued on.

"I don't want to hear it," Jo said as she got near.

"I didn't say anything!" Sam said as she sunk back to her seat, her smile still plastered on her face.

"You didn't have to," Jo countered. "Besides, this was your idea."

"I know," Sam confirmed. "And it was a great idea."

As Jo glanced around at the table, amusement sat in nearly everyone's expression. Except for Phyllis who didn't seem to fully understand what they were implying.

Then Jo's eyes fell on the redhead sitting next to Phyllis - the greatest delight of the entire table worn on his face. It made her stomach clench for seconds before she was able to ease it. At least he didn't seem displeased by the fact that she wasn't still in bed - contrary to what he originally "ordered."

Still, she didn't like the triumphant grin he was giving her.

Don't say a word, Arlo.

But the man couldn't help himself.

"Lookin' good, builder. The crutches really complete the ensemble," he said, a closed mouth smile then spreading across his lips.

She shot him a look.

"They're also a great defense mechanism for those who can't keep their snide comments to themselves," Jo threw at him as she slid into the seat next to Sam.

Arlo only chuckled at this, his face turned down to his drink before he took a large swig.

Speaking of which.

"Okay, I need alcohol. Stat," Jo said, looking over her shoulder for Sonia.

"I'll go get us some drinks," Emily told her. "You stay put."

And the girl was off, heading to the bar without even asking Jo what she'd prefer. Perhaps that was for the best, though, as Jo would have just told her to get one of the strongest drinks available.

Not that Jo was a big drinker… or really a drinker in general. But tonight it felt necessary. She needed that release. The ability to let her mind be fluid and her body tingle in a way that distracted her from the throbbing in her leg and ribs.

"Don't worry. The nurse has got it. She'll bring you your meds right away. Don't move a muscle," Arlo spoke.

Jo looked at him just in time to see Phyllis gently smack his shoulder. However, Jo ignored the woman's efforts and narrowed her gaze on him instead.

"I still have one good leg," she said. "Keep it up and I'll be kicking you all night."

She was sitting right across from him. If needed, she could have a clean shot to his shins and knees. Then who would be the one needing crutches? And she'd have to be the one to build them for him. Oh, the irony!

"That's called 'assaulting an officer,'" he retorted.

"What if I get Sam to do it?" she asked, gesturing to the blonde next to her. "Is it fairplay then?"

"You askin' for a spar in the middle of the Round Table, Arlo?" Sam said, making a show of cracking her knuckles.

"Easy there, girl," Arlo said with a laugh. "You've already sucked down two drinks. Not sure you want to trust your reflexes in a fight right now."

"Coward," Sam said under her breath, causing Jo to let out a loud laugh.

Arlo answered them with only a shake of his head, looking as though he were dealing with children.

Drinks were set down on the table as Emily reappeared, sliding in beside Jo. She placed one glass in front of Jo, the liquid inside a strange green color.

"What is that?" Phyllis asked, raising a brow at the drink.

"One of the Round Table's secret drinks. It's really good, in my opinion," Emily said, holding up her glass. "McDonald showed it to me. He and your Pa used to get them all the time."

There was a strange energy that suddenly ran over the table. As if everyone had taken in a sharp breath without actually doing so. It was an intensity that Jo could understand, but she also wished hadn't popped up so quickly. Emily's comment had an effect, and Jo wanted to dismiss immediately.

Disregarding the others' reactions, Jo took a drink from her glass and was met with an exquisite fruity taste that wasn't overly sweet.

"That is good. Thanks for the tip off, Emily," Jo said, taking another large drink.

And the energy shifted once more. Back to something similar to before, but perhaps not exactly the same.

"You're very welcome. So, what did I miss?" Emily asked, sipping her own drink.

"Arlo and I are going to fight," Sam said with full certainty.

"Oh, bloody hell," Arlo said, rolling his eyes.

Jo laughed. "Did you actually just say 'bloody hell?'"

Arlo shot her a look. "I believe I did. And so what?"

She chuckled again. "That's just very… English of you."

"Well, you know…. That may be because… I am English," he told her.

"Oh, of course. How could I forget after all the chinwags we've had?" Jo asked, a cheeky grin on her face.

He scowled at her.

"The chinwags!" Sam said, now leaning over in a bubble of laughter. "I forgot about that!"

"What about when he asked us if we wanted a… what was it? Cuppa?" Phyllis chimed in, giggling along with Sam.

Rem shook his head. "And Sam spent ten minutes asking 'a cuppa what?' over and over again."

"Mmmm, I'd assume tea," Jo said, snickering into her drink.

"It was ridiculous!" Sam blurted.

"Oh, come one now," Phyllis said, her lips pursed. "His accent is great."

Jo nearly followed up the woman's statement, ready to voice exactly what she thought of Arlo's accent. However, she never found the words leaving her. Instead, her eyes caught how Phyllis' hand slid to the back of Arlo's neck, playing with the collar of his jacket as she smiled at him.

"I think it's pretty sexy," the woman finished.

Everyone was still partially laughing, still enjoying the moment. But Jo also noticed herself needing to pull her eyes away from the touch and glance over at Emily. It felt better to share her amusement with the girl instead. She wasn't sure exactly why.

"Would you all kindly stop laughing at my expense?" Arlo said. "Or can we at least go back to moments ago when Jo was the butt of the joke?"

Now Jo's eyes snapped back to him.

"Hey. Don't use me as your scapegoat," she told him.

"Besides," Sam joined in. "We weren't making fun of Jo. You were."

"Oh? So those looks you were shooting her weren't implying anything?" Arlo asked.

Sam opened her mouth, but then closed it instantly as she pressed her lips together. She then shrugged before shaking her head.

Laughter erupted from them again.

Their conversation continued on as they shared stories, cracked jokes, commented on the type of music that Django insisted on playing. They were a mess of smiles and laughter as they continued on, causing Jo's cheeks to hurt from showcasing her delight.

It felt so good to just relax. To release. To have moments like these that she hadn't necessarily been sure she would ever obtain when she moved to Portia.

Jo was three drinks in now, and boy was she feeling it. Her body felt loose, her eyes were likely glossed over as she smiled at nearly every little thing. She felt light, but heavy at the same time. Her words would slur here and there, but so were others - meaning Sam. Emily was more of a hiccuper, though she only had one and a half drinks.

Another side effect from the alcohol, Jo found herself leaning a bit more into the woman next to her. She had done a good job so far of keeping her touchy tendencies to herself while in Portia, for the most part. But with the extra buzz, her shoulder was leaning into Sam's while her hand would brush Emily's arm. Luckily, both girls didn't mind - though Jo would be sure to stop right away if they had.

"Oh my God," Phyllis said suddenly, raising a hand to her mouth as she looked somewhere away from the table. "Is that Higgins?"

"What!?" Jo said, looking over Emily to try and see the other occupants of the restaurant. Her eyes caught the man, causing her brows to pull together. "No, noo. What is he doing here?"

"He comes in every so often," Emily said. "Some people used to say that he was the one who was actually ripping up Django's seats just so he would get hired to fix them."

"That sounds like something he would do," Jo said, her voice skeptical as she watched him.

"I think that's a little too far to go for Higgins," she heard Arlo say, causing Jo to turn to look at him.

The minute her brown eyes caught his blue, she felt her skin prickle.

Stupid alcohol.

"He's a worm, Arlo. He'd do it," she insisted, though slight sarcasm did reside in her tone.

"I think the word you're looking for is snake," Arlo said.

She shook her head. "No. Snakes are too powerful. He doesn't get that much credit. Worm. He's a worm!"

"Why don't you two just sleep with each other already?" Sam spoke up.

Jo felt her eyes widen, watching Arlo's do the same as they were still staring at one another. Not able to look at him any longer, or anyone else at the table for that matter, she snapped her gaze over to Sam.

"What?" she breathed.

"You and Higgins?" Sam continued.

Oh thank God.

But… wait, what?

"What do you mean?" Jo pressed on, her face still hot.

"Why don't you and Higgins just sleep together and get it over with?" Sam clarified. "There's obviously some sexual tension there. That's where all the resentment blooms."

"What? No, no. I would never -" Jo tried.

However, Phyllis jumped in.

"Yeah, oooo. Rough, anger sex. That would be amazing," the women offered.

Sam paused, wrinkling her nose. "Well… with Higgins… maybe not."

"You're right," Phyllis spoke again. "Can you imagine the noises he would make?"

"I don't even want to," Sam said. "Hopefully he'd just be silent and let Jo take control."

"Oh, God. Stop," Jo said firmly, finally getting the women to end their conversation. "I am never sleeping with Higgins. Ever."

Sam laughed at this. "But imagine if you did."

"Sam!"

"Okay, okay," Phyllis giggled. "Only saying that angry sex is a lot of fun."

Jo couldn't help but watch the way that Phyllis' arm shifted over a little in order to gently bump the person next to her. So gently that it was hard to tell if she'd actually touched him. But she had. Jo could tell from the way his body shifted in her peripherals.

She also swore she could feel his eyes, that had been burning into the side of her face, now shift away.

"That's great," Jo said. "But it's still never going to happen with Higgins. And if we keep talking about it, I will throw up all over this table."

"Well, let's avoid that!" Emily spoke up.

Thank goodness for the girl.

"And maybe we could…" Emily trailed off as she looked out over the room. She then turned back, excitement spread over her expression. "Dance! We should go dance!"

"I'm in!" Sam said before anyone could say anything. "Rem, you're coming too."

"What? Why?" the man asked, completely thrown.

"Because I said so. Now get your butt up," she told him.

Rem sighed, but - much to Jo's surprise - was shifting out of his seat as well.

"I'm coming too," Phyllis said with a nod. She then glanced to her side. "Arlo?"

"Definitely not," he stated, his voice light. "I'll hold down the fort."

"Jo - ...oh…" Emily said as she turned to look at the brunette. Then everyone looked to her as they all seemed to suddenly have the same thought.

"Yeah…" Jo started, looking down at her injured leg resting under the table. "I don't think I'm going anywhere."

"We'll do some moves for you then!" Sam said, grabbing Emily's hand as she led the way out to the dance floor. "Don't miss us too much!"

"We'll try," Arlo said, giving them a wave as they all walked off.

Oh… Arlo and her were alone. There had been so much commotion that Jo didn't even think about the fact that it was only them staying behind. Not that she really minded.

"And then there were two," Jo said, giving him a smile.

"So there were. And I think one of them may be a little drunk," Arlo said with a single laugh.

"Tipsy, Captain. Tipsy," she told him.

"Fine, fine line that is," he said.

"I'm just teetering on the edge," Jo said, a strange thrill in her voice - even though it was working against herself.

So she followed it up.

"I like to live life on the edge," she slightly slurred.

Arlo hummed a laugh. "I think we've already confirmed that."

She gave him a goofy smile before she propped her elbow on the table and rested her chin into her hand.

"So how are you doing?" she asked.

"Oh, I am just fine. Nice to get out after a long week," he told her.

"Sorry about that," she said, giving him a tender smile now.

He shook his head in response. "None of that. We have a truce remember?"

"How could I ever forget? I initiated it, after all," she stated.

"Well, aren't we proud?" he asked.

She laughed before she reached for Emily's leftover drink. Someone had to take care of it, right?

Jo took a large swig, seeing Arlo shake his head in front of her. Though, his apparent disapproval didn't work as he also wore a smile.

"So," she said, putting the glass down again. "How are things with Phyllis? She seems to be having a good time tonight."

Jo looked at him expectantly, her eyes dancing. She didn't know what warranted the question, but she knew it was something that she had genuinely wanted to ask. Arlo and her were becoming closer and one thing that she wanted to understand, and support, was this relationship with Phyllis. Maybe that would help her from feeling so flustered every time she caught them interacting. Then she wouldn't feel like she was spying on something personal.

That's what she was telling herself anyway.

Arlo cleared his throat. "Good. We're good."

Then there was a slight pause between them. One that caused Jo to lift a brow.

"Really? That's all you're gonna say?" she asked.

He looked at her, shrugging. "What is it that you're wanting to hear?"

"I don't know. Something!" Jo said with a laugh. "Only I want it to come from your mouth. I know what everyone else says -"

"Of course they're saying things," Arlo sighed.

"It's all a bit confusing, if I'm being honest. I think it would help, and make more sense, to hear it coming from you," Jo finished. "Unless, you really want to leave well enough alone."

She held her hands up. "After all, it really isn't my business. I just want to know what my friend is up to. I want to support him. I want -"

"You're really just trying to weasel your way into this aren't you?" Arlo jumped in.

"No! … But is it working?" Jo asked, smiling.

"Why does it even…." he paused, looking over to where Phyllis was dancing currently. He then shifted his gaze back to Jo, sighing. "I'm not entirely sure what Phyllis and I are… if I'm completely honest."

Okay. At least that was an answer.

"It's okay not to know," Jo stated slowly. " But you like her?"

Arlo looked down at the table, only briefly before he looked up again. But it was elsewhere, not at Jo.

Jeez. He really does have a hard time talking about this stuff.

"Yeah, I like her," Arlo finally said.

"Good," Jo said, smiling at him. Though there was this strange sensation in the bottom of her stomach. It wasn't tingling, but more of a stinging - so subtle that she almost didn't notice.

"And how long has that been going on?" Jo asked.

He shrugged. "Three months?"

Not too long.

"That's an impressive amount of time," Jo said. "She seems to be very into you."

"I suppose so," Arlo replied, his response causing Jo to furrow her brow.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

He finally met her eyes again, his jaw shifting as if he were contemplating his words.

The look on his face caused Jo's breath to slow, her fingers tapping against the side of her glass as she felt she may need another drink.

"I… I don't know," he started.

However, the way that his voice lowered caused Jo's head to tilt to the side as her next words fell from her mouth.

"Yes you do…" she spoke, her volume matching his.

They stared at each other again.

She didn't know what drove her to say the words, but everything within her knew they were true. She could see it in his eyes. They were distracted, uncertain. It was a look that she hadn't remembered seeing from him before, which only drew her in more.

After holding each other's gaze for nearly a minute, Arlo nodded.

"Maybe I do," he stated. "But I think I just don't know how to say it."

Jo nodded now. "Well… would you like to try?"

Arlo looked at her, a quick breath leaving through his nose as his expression remained serious.

His reaction made her want to apologize. To reassure him that he didn't need to say anything and she was sorry for pushing him - if she even had.

But she found that wasn't necessarily as he began to speak again.

"I've noticed…" he paused for a moment, seeming as though he were searching the air for his next words. "That she relies a lot on… touch. And I have no problem with touch."

Jo was glad to hear that. Especially after how many physical interactions they had shared. Completely harmless physical interactions that is.

"But it's constant… and the oddest of times. When we're alone, we can't have a conversation without her needing to touch me somehow. It's as if she's not even really listening to me. And when we're with other people she just finds ways to do it in a very… 'public' manner," he continued.

Jo nodded, following along with his words.

"Don't get me wrong, she is beautiful. And incredibly intelligent. And driven. But… it's as I want to explore those sides of her, yet she doesn't care to see those parts of me. It's all about touch and physical aspects rather than minds…" he said. "I don't know. Maybe I'm overthinking this whole thing due to lack of experience."

"I wouldn't say that," Jo responded, her voice gentle as she shook her head.

He shrugged. "I just know the physical attraction is there… but I'm not looking for someone to lust after me…if that makes sense…"

Jo flashed a weak smile before it fell from her face. "It does, Arlo."

He looked at her, swallowing hard as he leaned forward onto his elbows.

"There are a lot of different relationships in this world," Jo continued. "You're bound to find people that you find physically attractive, and even mentally attractive, but they don't necessarily mesh with you."

Jo's head felt a little foggy as she continued to talk. With all the alcohol in her system, she really hoped she was getting somewhere and not just throwing out nonsense.

"I'm not sure if it's something that you've talked with her about, but if you haven't, then maybe it's worth mentioning. Because maybe she really does hear you and see you, but it's hard to tell or acknowledge due to the whole 'what are we thing.'"

Arlo continued to stare at her, his expression solid as he seemed to be caught onto her every word. Yet, she also couldn't help but feel like part of him was lost in his own mind.

So she kept talking.

"But if you don't think it's right, well… then that's okay too. You want to be with someone who likes you. Not someone who just likes the idea of you. The surface level attraction," Jo said.

She finished with a shrug, holding his gaze as he finally let his features soften - but only slightly.

Jo could feel her body buzzing, knowing that she wanted to ask him what he was thinking. Only because she was worried she had overstepped a boundary along the way. She had only been meaning to help, but perhaps her tipsy tongue had caused her to misspeak.

Her cloudy mind wasn't even capable of going back and correctly remembering exactly what it was that she had said.

His silence caused her to speak again, choosing to try and wrap up the conversation so they could gracefully move on. Or so she hoped.

"You're an amazing person, Arlo," she told him. "And you deserve to be with someone amazing. That could be Phyllis, or another girl, or maybe even no one. Maybe it's just yourself. But, no matter what, it's going to be fine."

And now he finally broke from his stoic state and gave her a half smile. The action made her body deflate a little as she released a breath.

"Thank you," he said. "I hope you're right."

Jo smiled at him, leaning back in her chair as she finally brought the glass to her lips and emptied the last third of the glass. The amount of alcohol made a tingle shoot up her back.

It was crazy how quickly things could shift.

"I apologize, as well. I didn't mean to make this conversation about my worries and woes," he told her.

"Ah, that's okay. That's what friends are for," she said. "Besides, I asked."

"That's very true. You did. Once again - you're a pest," he said, teasing her.

His tone made an ache appear in her chest as she laughed down at the empty glass.

Whoa, that last drink was really hitting her. Her head felt as though it was spinning as she glanced downward.

If she thought her mind was jumbled before then she was wrong. She still felt decently in control, but she was definitely feeling the potential for giggles to bubble out of her at any moment. For many years, she had thanked her lucky stars that she was a happy drunk, but she also didn't want to look like a complete idiot. Especially if her tongue chose to take advantage of her state and become even more unpredictable.

"Alright," Arlo spoke, catching her attention. "I'm thinking that's enough for you."

It was as if he had read her thoughts.

Or perhaps he had taken one look at her and used even the slightest bit of common sense. She was obviously drunk at this point as her smile was now completely lopsided.

"Mmmm, I may be a pest, but you're definitely a bully," she told him.

"I don't think bullies have your best interest in mind, so I don't agree with that at all," he spoke.

"Bullies always have secret motives," she retorted. "You never know!"

Arlo rolled his eyes, though he was smiling. He then looked out at the rest of the room, his face lighting up more as he caught sight of their friends.

Jo watched the way his teeth flashed in his mouth, his smile bright and inviting as it spread onto his face. His jawline was even more apparent as he was turned to the side, his red hair dancing across the skin as it led to his chin.

She barely realized how hard she was studying him. She had definitely crossed over that fine line he had mentioned before.

"I think we dodged a bullet. You should see this lot," he told her.

"Oh really?" Jo asked, glancing over her shoulder. However, she was unable to see them from her seat, which caused her to shift out of her seat.

The alcohol soothed any ache in her body as she moved from her side of the table to his - bringing herself to sit directly beside him. Her eyes remained out to the room, but she now felt the left side of her body grow warm as she was aware of him next to her.

Her eyes fell on the group of their four friends, trying to move their bodies to the rhythm of the song. However, Emily and Phyllis seemed to have a better grasp over it than Sam and Rem. Sam's excuse was she was drunk by now, while Rem was obviously not the strongest dancer.

Jo laughed. "Just think. That could be us."

"No one needs to see you out there swaying around on crutches or me shuffling awkwardly from side to side," he told her. "If anything, we're likely doing them the favor."

Jo turned her eyes towards him, realizing now that they were decently close as their faces were only a foot apart.

"I have a feeling you're a better dancer than you let on," she said, giving him a suspicious look.

"Really? And what brings that on?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. You seem like the type to have that sort of trick up your sleeve," she told him, her eyes remaining on his.

"I have many tricks, actually," he said, his eyes shifting as he searched her.

"Captain Arlo," she said, her force teasing as she pretended betrayal. It then fell quieter as she spoke again, her tone surprising herself. "What other skeletons are you hiding in your closets?"

"Perhaps I'll show mine if you show yours," he said, his voice all dipping down.

What was happening?

Jo felt her stomach flip as she looked at him. It was their usual teasing, but for some reason it felt different than usual. More intense, perhaps. Though some of their interactions had made her head spin, it was never to this extent.

Or perhaps that was the alcohol still making her spin and impairing her judgment.

She looked away, glancing off in another direction as she saw some of the other townspeople dining together or shuffling into the game room to likely play darts. She didn't trust herself whatsoever to throw a dart at that moment.

"Uh… oh… you'll never guess who's looking over here," Arlo spoke again, causing Jo to turn forward. The air between them seemed to relax again.

"Who?" she asked, her brows pulling together as she stared around.

"Higgins. Two o'clock," he told her.

Thinking about his words, Jo slowly glanced over to his suggested location and immediately locked eyes with the worm himself. Immediately, he smirked at her, raising a glass with his stupid, slimy fingers.

"Oh God," Jo groaned, turning to her right in order to avoid his actions.

Only, her body also fell over as she turned, causing her to completely lean into the man beside her. Before she could think about what she was doing, she tucked her head into his neck as an attempt to shield her eyes from Higgins further. It was as if the worm had caused her to go completely limp from hate, as she eased into the man next to her.

Then her nose filled with the familiar scents. The smell of worn leather mixed with something that was more… him. How could she even describe it? It was almost like cedarwood and musk. Maybe some apple.

She breathed it in, feeling her whole body become warm as both her sense of smell and touch were stimulated. Her head on his shoulder, hand on his chest, her leg against his, and now… the feeling of his hand on her lower back.

The final touch made Jo's breath tight as she slowly pulled back and brought her gaze up to his chest. It paused there for a moment, reminding her of the day he had saved her from the snailbobs and pulled her down from his horse. Moments passed before her stare raised to his own eyes, which were currently on her.

His expression was relaxed, his lips parted as he was focused on her.

The color on her cheeks had to be stained red.

Oh God.

She was so stupid. She hadn't even meant to be so touchy with him. It was a reaction based on seeing Higgins that had meant to be, once again, harmless. However, she feared that it was being misread. Maybe not by him, but it would definitely be misread by Phyllis if she saw.

Oh God - Phyllis!

Jo's eyes tore away from his and she looked back to the dancing group. But she found that none of them were focused in her direction, but still wrapped up in their own dancing and laughter.

Okay.

But Jo still felt uneasy. She didn't want to feel as though she had "gotten away with it" because she hadn't even meant anything by the actions. It had been innocent and not ill intentioned, but it probably didn't seem that way.

Especially after the conversation that they just had about Phyllis.

Oh, no. He probably thought that Jo was just throwing herself at him after making him admit all of that. That had not been her plan, or her goal. This was all a coincidence and she had just put herself in very rocky and unintended circumstances.

Maybe you should… you know… say something.

Remembering herself a little more, Jo turned back to Arlo, noting that he was still looking at her.

"Think it's best if I go back to the other side!" Jo announced, perhaps a little too loudly for the man directly next to her. She then began to awkwardly shift out of the seat before she made her way back to her original spot. "Can't see Higgins from this side."

She watched as Arlo raised a brow at her, making her heart pound in her chest. She had been trying to make this less awkward, but now she was starting to think that she had done the complete opposite.

Her best move was probably to apologize now. However, as she opened her mouth, she never had the chance to follow through as their other guests returned to the table.

"You two missed a heck of a dance party!" Sam said, plopping down next to Jo. "Still would have liked to see you bust a move on those crutches."

Jo laughed lightly. "Not even if you paid me."

"And what did we miss here?" Phyllis asked, sitting down next to Arlo in the same spot Jo had been only moments ago.

Jo didn't know what caused the reaction, but she suddenly felt a vibration running through her body caused by the blonde's question, the memory of what had just occurred, and the way that Arlo was still looking at her.

Why was he still looking at her?

But then he tore his eyes away as he looked to Phyllis.

"Nothing really," he told her.

Jo was thankful for this answer, causing her to speak up as well.

"Yeah. You really missed nothing," she confirmed.

However, how come even though they both called it nothing… there was a feeling deep inside of her telling her it was…. Something.

* * *

Nothing.

Nothing was a joke. Nothing was an understatement.

It was only that Arlo didn't know how to describe what they had missed. He also really shouldn't have been explaining any of it either. Because he wasn't sure what had just occurred between Jo and him, but it sure didn't feel like nothing.

Perhaps he was letting weird projections get the best of him, but it was a feeling he couldn't shake.

From them talking about his "relationship" with Phyllis to when she was moving back to her original seat - it had left his head spinning in a way that he couldn't fathom. And then there was the way that she had leaned into him. So freely and simply that he knew she hadn't meant anything behind the action. But did that make it better or worse?

Calling it nothing was the easy option. Nothing was what it should be. Because it was all in fact nothing and he was just letting his mind, and whatever else this was, get the best of him.

But why?

Why was there this feeling inside of him, sitting in the pit of his stomach, yelling up at him? It kept insisting that maybe it wasn't nothing. At least to one person.

What did that even mean?

He was beginning to feel frustrated. He was annoyed that he felt like this and was trying to work it all out while she was still across from him - smiling at their fellow friends and getting lost in their stories. Her carefree demeanor suggesting that her mind was not currently in overdrive like his was right then.

And normally he could make an excuse. He could ignore it or figure out a way to not let his mind slip in any direction. But tonight he couldn't shake it.

He needed to, though. Because even if there was a voice inside of him trying to convince him otherwise, tonight's interaction with Jo really was nothing.

Arlo had decided to confide in her, and Jo had allowed herself to lean into him in a way that she hadn't before. Quite literally lean into him.

But she had been drinking. Jo was already enough of a touchy person in the first place, but alcohol heightened things. She wasn't completely aware of herself or her actions, and Arlo knew better than to take advantage of her state. He couldn't and shouldn't have been making any conclusions just because she had touched him.

That's just where they had found their relationship… their friendship. There was touch.

That thought made Arlo recall what he had said to Jo about Phyllis. About their touch and how he had felt indifferent to it because that's all that she seemed to want.

When Phyllis touched him… it didn't make him overthink this much. It didn't invade his mind and completely settle in so he couldn't escape it even if he tried.

Why was that?

When Phyllis had touched him tonight, Arlo had nearly begun to sweat and shuffled his feet under the table. He had shifted his eyes around to his mates to see their reactions as if it mattered. Because it felt like it mattered…

But when Jo touched him tonight, Arlo grew warm, his feet planted, his hand instinctively placed on the small of her back, his eyes shifted only down and on her.

And he hated that. He hated taking advantage of her actions to make himself think that there was something behind the touch. The interactions.

Especially because he was, in a way, "with" Phyllis. And she was sitting right beside him while he was having this entire inner battle. Inner battle? He hated that as well.

So what was this?… This thing with Jo.

What was it?

Arlo looked at her, her eyes still pointed away from him as she leaned her chin into her hand again. Her attention was directed at Rem, her shoulder slightly leaning into Emily's as she listened to the man. Carelessly touching someone else.

It was nothing.


	10. Chapter 10

Leaving the Civil Corps headquarters, Arlo raised his arms over his head as he stretched out his strained muscles. He had really pushed it during his morning workout… and during his last couple of morning workouts, for that matter, and was now feeling the consequences. However, he had needed the release. To punch his training dummy until it was left creaking in response to any impact. Arlo was sure his knuckles were currently forming bruises under his gloves.

Bringing his arms back down, he began to shake out his hands, hoping the blood flow would stop the bruising. Even though, that wasn't at all possible.

Going down the hill, Arlo's mind began to stray away from his aches and pains as he tried to kick his other senses into gear. It was nearly time for his rounds to start for the day, which meant that he needed to be on his game. Not that he expected to be chasing down bad guys or taking down pinecocks at every turn. But still, it was nice to be ready no matter what was thrown his way.

Thankfully, his mind had felt a little clearer that morning. After the Round Table incident - if he could even call it that - Arlo had fallen into his bed Friday night in a mess of thoughts. He was so busy feeling sorry for himself that he hadn't even managed to take off his jacket or belt before he inevitably dozed off. And those thoughts had continued to invade his mind over the course of the last few days - no matter how he tried to dismiss them.

But that morning, he had finally woken up without those same thoughts echoing throughout his mind and pushing a headache to grow in his temples. Instead, it was background noise. The kind that Arlo could ignore, and insisted on getting rid of as soon as possible - not that it was more manageable. Hence why he had used his morning exercise as a tactic to nip the whole situation in the bud.

And now, he wasn't thinking about it. He wasn't questioning. He was done trying to make sense of something that wasn't there. He had ended that Friday night due to what he had seen with his own eyes - another touch with someone else. So, he wasn't thinking about it.

Senses on. It was all about the present and the senses that he needed then. The thoughts that he needed to focus on - that had nothing to do with the past or any confusion that may have laid there.

He concentrated on the laughs of the children in the distance, thankful to hear they weren't screams of panic or cries in pain. He concentrated on the sound of the wind causing the leaves to rustle in the trees as a sign of the season beginning to change.

Lastly, he concentrated on the gentle click of heels on the stone as he sensed someone coming near him.

And sure enough, within seconds, he was met by the source of the sound coming around the bend as they headed up the hill while he headed down. The moment the individual turned, their eyes met and Arlo could feel his focus on his surroundings slightly falter.

Phyllis.

She was smirking at him now, her hips gaining an extra swing as she kept her clicking heels moving up towards him. He, however, began to slow as he knew they would inevitably meet in the middle. Phyllis wasn't the type of person he could just pass by while calling out a lame "hello." That wasn't the role she held in his life. She was the kind of person he needed to stop for, which usually meant she would…

As expected, they met in the middle of the ramp and Phyllis was quick to speak before her actions followed.

"Hey, you," she murmured before one of her hands was already at the nape of his neck, pulling him straight down to have his lips meet hers.

And then she held him there, keeping their mouths directly against one another as her body also began to lean forward. She pressed her chest into him, which made Arlo's heart begin to hammer into his own chest. But not in the way one would likely expect.

Finally, he managed to pull back, careful not to put too much distance between them. He then gazed down at her, offering a small smile as he was finally able to reciprocate her greeting.

"Morning, Phyllis," he said as he began to realize his own hands were still at his sides. Remembering himself, he raised them and gently placed them on her hips - making sure his touch didn't reside too low… or too high for that matter.

"I feel like I never see you this early," Phyllis replied. "What a treat."

A side of Arlo's mouth pulled up further, glad that simply seeing him made her happy. However, he hadn't managed any words.

Even though it hadn't been long since the last time he had seen her. They had just ran into each other the night prior, but it had been brief as they were both headed home to bed. That had to have been less than eight hours ago since they had both been quite the early riser that morning.

That's something you have in common .

Arlo wanted to roll his eyes at his own thought. Was he really going to point out every single little similarity? What was next? That they both had blue eyes?

That was something that Sam had enjoyed in the past.

"You both have blue eyes! So if you ever had babies then the probability of them having blue eyes would be through the roof!"

Leave it to Sam.

But the point was - he was not going to pick out all of their similarities. He refused. That would be ridiculous and Arlo wasn't one to stoop to that level.

Besides, he knew that Phyllis and him had more in common… he just wasn't sure exactly what that was… yet!

"Actually, I'm glad I ran into you," Arlo said, feeling his body begin to hum. It was as if he had inner jitters that were causing his bones to vibrate.

"Is that so?" Phyllis asked, easing into him even more.

No sweating. We're not sweating. And no moving your feet. Planted. You're a Captain for Christ's sake .

"Yes, it is," Arlo spoke again, his words sounding moronic leaving his mouth. He quickly cleared his throat as if it would help. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

The statement had left him so easily, as if he were on autopilot. No - as if someone had taken over his controls and insisted on pressing buttons faster than his programming could comprehend. They wanted to pass the small talk and get right to the "good stuff." Right to the core.

In reality, Arlo figured the one handling the controls likely reflected the version of himself that existed the night before. The one that had voiced his thoughts in regards to his "relationship" with Phyllis for the first time...ever. Or maybe it wasn't even that one. Maybe it was the version of himself that had soaked in the advice that he had received and had made it a goal to follow it. Without the current Arlo being aware.

And now his thoughts were lighting up with the exact thing that he had told himself he wasn't thinking about this morning - Jo.

But, in his defense, he wasn't thinking about the way she had leaned into him and the way she had ignited a fire in his stomach and invaded his consciousness…

No, no. He definitely wasn't thinking about that.

He was thinking about the opinions and words she had shared with him. How she had reassured him, and also given him the idea to talk to Phyllis. To let the blonde know how he was feeling, and figure out if they were just missing the ability to mentally explore one another due to confusion.

It looked like Jo's curiosity and impulsiveness had rubbed off on him.

Not literally.

Having not even realized his gaze had been elsewhere, straying downward towards the stone path, he brought it back up to her and kept it there. And once it was there, he instantly noticed the quirk in her brow, the coy turn of her lips, and how her teeth grazed her lip for the slightest of moments.

Feet planted.

"What is it?" she said, her voice low in both register and volume.

Vibrating. His body was still inwardly vibrating. He had the sensation in his bones that he wanted to shake out as soon as possible. However, with Phyllis there both watching him and holding him in place - he knew that he couldn't.

The lingering moment made Arlo feel as if eons were passing within seconds, driving him to speak again so he didn't just leave her in the dark. Or come off as insatiably neurotic.

"None of what I want to talk about is bad," he told her. "I don't want you to take it the wrong way."

Now, Phyllis' upturned lips slightly smooth, though she didn't look exactly concerned about what it was he might say. Perhaps she was merely expectant.

"Okay," she said slowly.

Arlo nodded, knowing now was his chance. It was time for him to actually ask his questions, to voice his opinions. So why was there any hesitation?

Growing frustrated with himself, Arlo swallowed before finally pushing the words out.

"I couldn't help but notice that there is quite a bit of physicality between us… or a lot. I mean, a lot," he told her.

She stared at him, the quirk in her brow now implying confusion rather than being flirtatious.

"And like I said, it's not a bad thing - by any means," he continued.

"Understood," Phyllis jumped in. "Then what are you saying?"

Right .

"What I'm saying is…" he began, pausing for a moment before he finally let it fall out. "I think you are a very brilliant and intriguing person," he told her.

Phyllis nodded.

"But I feel as though we haven't really had the chance to talk and get to know one another," he continued.

Because every time he had tried...she was running her hands through his hair, leaning in to kiss his neck, sliding her hand up his leg.

The two had not been overly physical, that was something to note. Although there had been a lot of physicality, they hadn't gone much further than making out multiple different times. Admittedly, Phyllis had tried to take it further, sliding off his jacket and overshirt before reaching for his zipper, but he had stopped her.

Yes, Phyllis was pretty, but she was also so much more than that. He could tell that even without her confirming it.

He knew that she had been through Nursing school and was hoping to even become a Doctor one day - hence why she was there learning from Xu. Phyllis was smart and well spoken. Just because she was beautiful and presented herself in a well… sensual manner, didn't mean that he had expected anything from her. He hoped she knew that too.

"Obviously, I know the general things. The things we've discussed before. From even before we started all of...this," he told her.

This? Really ?

"But I also know there's so much more...that I don't know...that I'd like to."

They were three months in, after all. Didn't people love the initial, in depth conversations you had when getting to know someone? When starting a relationship? Or was Arlo's opinion skewed? After all, he liked having those conversations with people even if he wasn't romantically interested in them.

They had been on outings together - with friends and alone. And yet, he couldn't recall a time when they actually had a deep and detailed conversation. Each time he had tried, it was only her changing the subject back to a surface level quality of his and finding a way to place a hand on him. To flutter her eyelashes.

And he wasn't saying that was bad. But...it wasn't what he had wanted.

That last thought made Arlo's mind cloud further, in a way that he had been trying to avoid that morning. Only, the presence of a pesty brunette wasn't what was distracting him now, but rather the idea of him acknowledging what he didn't want.

He hadn't wanted that. And at that moment, he still didn't.

But did that mean that… he didn't want -

No, no. That wasn't true. He wanted to try. He did. It was only fair. How could he make any decisions or conclusions when he hadn't even given anything a real chance?

"Do you feel that way?" Arlo asked finally, looking at Phyllis. At some point, distance had been put between them as Arlo's arms were once again at his sides and Phyllis was no longer pressed against him.

Perhaps he should have realized that when his bones had stopped shaking.

He held her gaze now, unable to read her due to her perplexed expression. All it suggested was that she was thinking, trying to work out her own thoughts.

"I'm sorry," Arlo said. "I'm not saying that I'm not physically attracted to you -"

If he was correct.

"But I am saying that I would like to get to know you on a deeper level. Emotionally and mentally. Bloody hell, I'm sure that sounds stupid," he said, breathing out a laugh.

He was glad to hear that Phyllis laughed along though.

"It doesn't sound stupid," Phyllis said with a shake of her head.

Thank goodness for that, at least.

"I guess the more I think about it - you're right. We are very physical," she confirmed. "But it would be nice to explore each other in different ways."

Her voice danced behind the last words in her sentence, causing Arlo's shoulder blades to tense. However, he mentally began to smooth them out as he made sure to keep his expression neutral.

"I'd like to do that," Phyllis continued. "The whole physical aspect always comes so easily, but I would love to make this relationship more than that. I can't believe I didn't notice it sooner."

He was surprised too. And also surprised that neither of them had spoken up about the matter either.

But that wasn't really what was important right then. What was important was that Arlo's thoughts had been well received and Phyllis had agreed to his request. Now he only needed to figure out how to properly pursue it.

Where should he begin? What did people do when they normally tried to get to know someone?

"Perhaps, an official date then?" Arlo asked, the thought coming to him. The two of them had never actually managed to go on a legitimate date, and maybe that was to blame for the uncertainty and missteps in their relationships. Now they would have to backtrack and mend it.

Phyllis giggled as she nodded. "I would love to go on a date with you, Arlo."

The corners of Arlo's mouth pulled up.

This was good. This was what he wanted and now he was proud of actually making the right steps to make it happen. All of the indifference he had been feeling, in so many different aspects of his life, was likely to work itself out - and that's all he could ask for, really.

"Great. Would…" he wracked his brain for a moment, going through each upcoming evening to see what could work. However, the more he thought about it, the further he pushed back the date. "Saturday? I know it's a little far off, but I'd like to plan some things."

Plan some things? He wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but he also knew it was honest. He couldn't actually remember the last time he had been on a date, and he wanted to try and get this one right.

"Saturday sounds perfect," Phyllis said, smiling.

"Perfect -"

"Is it alright, though, if I do still see you before then? I'd like to still stop and talk, spend time with you all. I hope that's not crossing any lines," she continued.

"No," Arlo said quickly, shaking his head. He hadn't wanted her to think that he had been drawing lines, but then again - maybe he had. It wasn't really a set of boundaries as much as it was an ongoing plan in order to learn more about her. To properly meet her in his mind.

"I mean, yes," he finally corrected himself. "I don't want you to think we have to avoid one another until then. I would like to still see you as well."

Phyllis smiled wider at this. "Good. That's a relief."

Upon her words, they both stood there, smiling at one another as doors could now be heard opening and closing in the plazas.

"Well, I should probably head off to my rounds," he informed her. "Sorry if I've kept you."

"Not at all," Phyllis said. "I'm glad you stopped me."

At the face of their goodbye, Arlo knew how this usually went. In most cases, she would inch closer to him and press against him as she leaned up to sneak a kiss. It was the same process that she had done earlier when she had greeted him. However, after their conversation, something had shifted - insisting that the actions were not as appropriate as before.

Not that they had been appropriate then either, but the ignorance had likely been somewhat bliss on Phyllis end.

Knowing that he had been the cause of the change, Arlo moved forward to initiate a hug, figuring it was the best alternative. After all, he could have just offered her a handshake. That would be comical - and absolutely terrible.

Phyllis followed his movement gracefully, her own arms wrapping around him as they shared the hug. And then, they didn't linger in the connection long before they were parting once more - hands back to themselves.

She looked up at him, her blue eyes clear and shining like ocean waters gently rippling. Her lips, that were beautifully painted red, were still upturned - which caused Arlo to buzz again. However, it wasn't in the same way as before. Instead, he felt thankful. And like her - relieved.

Perhaps this was the right kind of buzz. The type that he had been hoping for as he spent more time with Phyllis, but until he committed to honesty - he just hadn't been lucky enough to find it.

"See you later, Arlo," Phyllis finished, giving him a small nod - not her usual wink - as she finally slipped past him and continued to make her way up the hill.

Arlo still stood there, the sound of Phyllis heels slowly fading in the distance until he was unable to hear them at all.

He was glad… completely chuffed that the entire conversation had gone so well. It wasn't necessarily a conversation that he had considered having in the first place, but he was thankful that he had. Not only was he thankful for his conversation with Phyllis, but also for the one he had shared with someone else. With Jo.

The buzzing continued to spread.

He had been so reluctant to talk about Phyllis - his privacy being of high importance to him. But obviously it had been biting him the ass, which was why he had he had finally been open with someone. Once again, with Jo.

Well, really, she had been enough of a pain to poke it out of him, but he wouldn't have said anything if he didn't feel like he could… like he should.

The advice she had given was obviously what he had needed. But more importantly, he had needed to actually take it. He needed to clear the air and properly voice his thoughts and wants.

And now look at what came out of it. Out of being open and willing to communicate. To change.

Phyllis and him were taking a step in the right direction. And would soon be able to get to know one another and grow on another level.

That surely made Arlo's mind clear, his tensed muscles unwind even despite his heavy workout that morning.

Finally, pushing onward to his own destination, Arlo's steps came lighter and his senses were sharper. He didn't even have to try so hard to force himself to focus on every sound or detail around. His senses were taking matters into their own hands.

The hello's he offered to fellow townspeople were bouncier, genuinity filling his voice as he offered a smile and wave.

Then he was entering Peach Plaza, cutting through the entryway through the park. The plaza was fairly quiet aside from Nora and Lee setting up their booth at the edge of the fountain, Oak already standing before them as he was ready to oppose all of their ideas.

He would never understand how Nora and Lee were capable of being so patient towards the young man.

As he walked further into the plaza, he paused next to the entrance of the Commerce Guild and sat down on the retaining wall created for the greenery in front of the building.

First stop.

Minutes passed by as he continued to study his surroundings, watching as more people began to enter the plaza or simply pass through. Sonia had joined Oaks in front of the Church of Light booth, swatting the boy's arm when he would start getting overly hostile.

At least she was doing Arlo's job for him. It gave him the opportunity to hold his position and worry about other needed issues rather than the boy's opinions.

Drifting his gaze elsewhere, Arlo looked up towards the Abandoned Ruins, stifling his sudden need to yawn. Instead, he leaned his head to one side, hearing a nice crack in his neck at the movement.

Then his attention was pulled elsewhere, back to the entrance to Peach Plaza from the field as he heard harsh steps colliding into the dirt paths. He raised a brow, expecting to see Tody come around the corner in his usual urgency.

But instead, he was met with someone else.

Finally rounding the corner, he felt his breath hitch as a familiar face entered his sight-lines.

Her cheeks were colored red, her lips parted for the sake of breath as she also wore a lopsided smile. Her arms pumped at her sides as her bare legs slowly turned the same pink color as her face. The brown hair that had been messily tucked up into a bun now fell even further as her hair tie was slipping down and her usual wavy tendrils fell against her face.

I can't believe she's running. Shouldn't she be taking care of those injuries?

Well, it is Monday. Xu said it would only be a matter of days before she was fully back on her feet. Although, I'm not sure he meant like this.

Putting his worries aside as he continued to watch her, he half thought about calling out - but wasn't sure his attempt would be heard as she seemed to be existing in a whole other world. Too enveloped in her own strange bliss as her gaze was focused ahead, pointed towards Central Plaza as her body pushed forward to move in that direction.

She was so focused that she was almost completely unaware of her other surroundings.

"Whoa, Jo. You almost hit me," Sonia called out, as Jo swiftly brushed by her.

"Sorry, Sonia!" Jo called over her shoulder. However, her eyes were quickly concentrated once more as she laughed with herself and continued on.

And now Arlo laughed. It was almost as if he were sharing it with her. But it had left him in a breath and left his lips parted and soft.

He watched her as she pressed on down the path to Central Plaza, the brightness in her features unchanging despite the puffs of breath leaving her.

Where was it that she was going? And why was she in such a hurry?

His foot tapped against the stone floor as he stared after her, the movement traveling until he was bouncing his entire leg.

The sensation inside of him had shifted so suddenly - for perhaps the tenth time that morning - that he wasn't sure what to do with himself.

Now who was beginning to adopt a restless nature?

Clearing his throat, Arlo forced his foot to sit flatly against the stone once more, his chest heaving at the lack of movement. If he could, he would have followed the simple action with the ability to shake his own shoulders and bark out an order to relax.

It was only… he hadn't realized how much he had wanted to tell Jo about his talk with Phyllis until actually seeing the brunette run by. Not that he owed that to her, but it wouldn't have made a difference either way. He wanted to talk to Jo. To thank her. To tell her of the good news and the positive steps he was taking forward. There was likely a chance that she wouldn't care, but he also figured that wasn't possible. Jo wasn't one who tended to be uncaring about the things important to others.

Perhaps that was all why he had been nearly twitching at the idea of chasing after her, or even why he had become so fixated on her when she had nearly appeared into Peach Plaza. It was as if by magic.

Now his leg was bouncing again as he looked off towards the other plaza once more.

No. Wait until later.

Arlo breathed out through his nose, quickly tearing his eyes away. Inner Arlo was right. He would talk to her. He would share the news and discuss the matter with her so he wasn't once again stuck in the routine of keeping these things to himself.

But he would do it later - at a more convenient time.

He would wait.

The day had been much more eventful than he had anticipated.

Between chasing Huss and Tuss out of the Happy Apartments and taking a trip down into the fourth level of the Sewage Ruins - he could pin down his days work as being quite fulfilling.

Now the day was ending, which usually meant a trip to the Round Table or, occasionally, an evening lounge on the Central Plaza bench. However, neither of those things were on the agenda that night. Instead, he was headed elsewhere. Ready to tick off the last task on his to-do list.

Walking down the pathway, he didn't have to go far before he was standing in front of her house. Exterior lights were still illuminated as noises of squealing blades and tender flames reached his ears. He could also make out some drilling trickling into the score, suggesting that the builder herself was still hard at work.

Passing through the gate, Arlo's steps crunched against the fine grass as he turned the corner of her house. Sure enough, there she was - standing before her assembly station as she stared at her work, her head in a tilt.

The scene brought a slight smile to his lips.

"Evening," he spoke as he continued to walk towards her.

Her stature remaining at ease, Jo turned to look at him - her eyes the only thing giving away her surprise. Her hair was still pulled back into it's bun, but looked as though it had been readjusted. Her fingers were currently painted with what he assumed was dirt and grease, which had also made its way onto the front of her white tank top. In her hands, she held a paper that looked as though it were covered with scrawled notes and steps that Arlo figured served as her instructions.

His smile expanded further - feeling a warmth flow through his body simultaneously.

"Evening, Arlo," she offered back to him. However, she was now in motion again, her instructions being tossed to the side as she stepped towards the materials in front of her.

Pieces of metal had been mended together in various different places, but he couldn't make out what the end product would be based on the build's current shape. All he knew was that it looked quite massive as it towered over Jo. Materials stuck out in random directions, consisting of steel plates and strengthened glass.

Jo walked around her build, grabbing an item off to the side as she then propped it up to attach it to one of the sides. Her hands moved smoothly and with ease as she slipped needed tools from her belt loops and was soon finishing her new addition.

It was a light. Something much sturdier than your everyday wall light.

Arlo placed his hands on his hips, nodding at her work. However, he was unable to say anything before she was turning towards him. But her eyes were straying elsewhere as she quickly hopped down from her assembly station and was off to attend to one of her table saws.

Okay.

"The light looks good," he mentioned, gesturing towards it with a hand. But she still didn't look up at him.

She nodded, her hands swiftly collecting more steel plates from her saw before she was walking back towards her station.

"Thanks," she said to him, her word coming out in a breath.

She then stepped back up to the build, working to add the steel to the rest of the materials.

"I just wanted to stop by quickly to talk to you about something," he tried, his feet shifting over the grass.

Perhaps now wasn't the best time for this.

"You're always welcome to stop by," she called out, her back still to him. "What is it?"

She raised onto her tippy toes, her persistence towards her project nearly drawing a laugh out of him.

"Uh, well… I talked to Phyllis," he said.

"Oh?" she said, releasing her hands from the steel plate. He watched as her shoulders relaxed, likely a combination from no longer supporting the weight of the metal and relief that the piece had remained in place.

"And how did that go?" she asked, turning again as she met his eyes. However, the eye contact was brief before she was looking around, her brow furrowed as she glanced one way and then another.

She hummed to herself, her head then snapping up before she seemed to catch sight of something over by her furnace.

"Ah ha!" she said, jumping down and jogging away. She grabbed something he couldn't quite see before she was coming right back to the station.

Now he laughed.

"Is this a bad time?" he asked. "I can come back."

"No!" Jo stopped, her feet finally frozen. It was short lived, though, as she was again taking steps forward and waving a hand towards him. "Keep talking. I'm listening."

"Okay…" Arlo said, shaking his head as he stifled another laugh.

Jo was back up on the station platform, the piece of hardened clay now being added as she tried to mold it exactly how she wanted.

"Okay," he said again. "I took your advice and mentioned the whole thing about our relationship being very physical."

"Mhmm," Jo acknowledged him, her hands still at work.

"And I also told her that I would like to keep pursuing something, but really wanted to get the chance to get to know her more. On a more emotional level. Mental, as well."

"Right," she responded, now moving to the other side of the build to place the rest of the clay elsewhere.

He had hoped she was actually listening to him. After all, conversations such as these were not exactly his "thing."

Wrap it up then.

"And she seemed very responsive to it all. Said she wanted the same thing," he told her. "We're going to go out on a date Saturday."

Now this caught Jo's attention.

"Really!?" she asked, her hands moving away from her build as her wide eyes shot over to him. At the same time, she sprang up from her crouched position, the smile on her face so wide it stretched over her entire face. However, her excitement seemed to have gotten the best of her, because as she jumped up from her spot, she managed to bring her head directly up to smack into the light that she had installed only moments before. It wasn't a terribly hard impact, definitely not enough to do any real damage - but he was sure she would have a small bump within the hour.

"Ow," she voiced, her hand coming up towards the top of her head as she squeezed the area.

"Bloody hell, Jo," he spoke, instantly moving forward as he began to close the distance between them. "Perhaps you should slow down."

He was now standing beside her, his eyes looking up at the area that had hit the light. There was nothing for him to really see, though - much to his relief.

She waved him off, her other hand staying momentarily on her head before she made a point to take it away.

"Oh, come on. I'm fine," she told him, her eyes shifting back to her work.

"Why do I fear you're going to die saying those words?" he asked.

Now her attention shifted back to him, giving him a hard shove to the shoulder as she shook her head.

Arlo laughed at her attempts, noticing the force wasn't very strong due to her still healing from her injuries.

"I will not take verbal harassment in my own work space," she told him before she was again walking away. Only, her foot caught the edge of her build, causing her to stumble forward slightly. She was able to compose herself, but also made sure to shoot him a look as she brushed the hair out of her face.

"You saw nothing," she stated.

He laughed again. "Would you just slow down? You're all over the place."

"I can't!" she told him, off to grab another steel plate. "I have to finish this build by Wednesday, and then I'm sure Gale and Albert will want me to build another one just like it."

She was now back to her station again, lining up the steel plate in the position she wanted it to go.

"And what exactly are you building?" Arlo asked, his arms folding over his chest.

"A bridge tower," she informed him before drilling a side of the plate in. "It's part of a huge job for the town. My biggest one yet."

Well that explained a lot.

"A bridge, huh?" Arlo asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. It's supposed to be a way into the desert," she told him. "Apparently there is some engineer from Vega5 coming here to help with some 'Eufaula Tunnel, and the mayor wants the bridge built beforehand.'"

Oh, right. Arlo had heard about that. Gale had vaguely mentioned the whole ordeal to him months ago when he had first been in contact with the engineer. The mayor had voiced his desire to have the Corps involved as much as possible once the man would actually begin work in the desert - due to the dangers and all.

"Ah, that bridge," he responded. "That is quite the important build."

"Exactly. So, you see, there is no time to slow down or mess around," she told him. "I need to get this done so this engineer guy knows I mean business. That way he'll want to rely on me for builds rather than Higgins."

She had a point there. Though he knew the town put the majority of their tasks and commissions on the board in the Commerce Guild, he was also aware that folks were not opposed to asking for special requests firsthand. Rem had even done it recently, asking Jo to build him a new kungfu sack.

Arlo made a mental note that he would probably need to ask her for a new training dummy after the damage he had done that morning.

"You should still take breaks if you need them," he reminded her, bringing himself back to his current conversation.

"But I don't need a break," she informed him.

"Not even to rest your knee and ankle," he said, glancing down at the mentioned area.

He couldn't help but notice that she had ditched her crutches completely, even guessing that they were smashed up or hidden elsewhere by now.

"They don't hurt," she told him. "I mean, sometimes they do. But it was only a sprain. Xu said they would only really hurt for a few days and then I would be fine to walk on them - as long as I took care of them properly before. Which I did. So the Captain can stop his worrying now."

He was ready to challenge her, to try and prove why he was right and explain why the rest was still important for her injuries. But he decided to leave it. After all, Jo was not the only one who had to learn a lesson from her accident. Arlo had learned that he needed to let go of his worrying, to allow her to handle these builds that were obviously very important to her without his getting in the way.

So he decided to keep his thoughts and opinions out of it.

However, there was something else that he could do.

"How can I help then?" he asked, gesturing towards the build in front of them. Now that she had identified what it actually was, he could work out what the shape was meant to be.

"What?" Jo said, his brows pulling together as she stared at him. "You're trying to help me?... With this?"

He shrugged, pushing up the sleeves of his jacket - though they didn't move far. "As long as you'll let me. I promise not to get in the way or take control. I'm only another set of hands."

Jo's mouth opened as she stared at him for a moment, her eyes casting away as she stared at her materials. After a few moments of silence, she finally cleared her throat and looked back to him.

"Okay, fine." she told him.

"Hmmm?" he asked, a side of his mouth pulling up. He couldn't help but be amused by whatever inner reluctance she was feeling.

"Fine. You can help," she clarified, making her words pointed as she properly met his eyes.

"Great," he said, his hands clapping together. "So what's first?"

"Mmm," Jo paused for a moment, looking around at all her materials. She then sparked into motion, pointing across the lawn. "Go add some more iron ore and wood to those furnaces. We need more carbon steel bars burning."

"Got it," Arlo responded, moving to the chest next to one of her furnaces and pulling out the product. He then moved to the furnace itself and started adding in the items.

"Great," Jo said, walking to her table saw to grab another finished steel plate. "Then can you grab those three finished ones and add them to the saw?"

"Aye, aye, Captain," Arlo called out.

"Oh, so now I'm the Captain?" Jo asked, still continuing her work.

"For the time being , " he said, smirking.

"The Building Captain?" Jo offered, starting to drill in the plate.

"Assembly Captain," Arlo tossed in.

"Captain of Crafting," she replied with a laugh.

"Hey," Arlo said, glancing over to her. "Now that one's not so bad." He then turned back to the saw, adding the three bars and starting it up.

"And you're the crafting cadette," Jo told him, finishing the plate.

"If this were a real ship then I'm sure I would just be the cabin boy," Arlo said, smiling to himself. "I'm merely just learning my trade."

"No, no," Jo dismissed his words as she walked over to another furnace. She picked up two pieces of strengthened glass and carried them back to the station. "Come on, you're at least a little higher than that. Like an everyday seaman or something."

Now he laughed, making sure to quickly add a power stone to her saw for the sake of fuel.

"I'm glad you think highly of me, Captain. Perhaps someday I'll be promoted to First Mate," he joked.

"You've got the potential, matey!" Jo said. She then laughed, shaking her head with a wrinkled nose. "Ew. Never let me say that again."

Arlo nodded. "Guess we won't be joining any pirate ships any time soon then," he said.

"Afraid not," Jo confirmed as she brought the glass to her build. "Probably for the best, though. Wouldn't want you to have to betray your current position."

She had a point there.

He pursed his lips, nodding. "Well, if that's what you're worried about then...perhaps we could just be spies then," he told her. "Just have to blend in and then defile their plans of mischief."

Jo turned to him, her face lighting up. "Oh, I'm in! But if I'm the 'Captain' in this scenario then it sounds like I'll be the one overthrowing the entire operation. I can get behind that."

Arlo's smile slowly spread over his lips. "Ah, you've got the potential, matey!" he quoted.

A work glove was then thrown across the lawn, hitting him right in the head. He let out a loud laugh as he could hear her mutter something incoherent under her breath.

"Okay, okay," he said. "What next?"

Jo's expression smoothed a little, glancing around. Her eyes then caught something and she was pointing again. "Hardened clay. Grab the finished ones for me," she told him. "We may need to add more, but I'm hoping this is the last of it."

Arlo followed her instructions, going to the blender and picking up the hardened clay she had been referring to. He then brought it back to the assembly station, holding it out to her.

Jo took it from him, starting to hit it against the metal side of her station in order to break it in two. "Take this one and start adding it over there," she told him as she straightened and held out the clay to him.

"I'll see what I can do," he told him, taking the material. He then watched her for a few seconds, studying her own technique and actions before attempting the same on his side. His motions were steady, but his fingers didn't move with the same knowledge and grace as hers did.

Silence fell between them as they worked, though Arlo wasn't really all too aware of how quiet they had grown - or for how long for that matter. His eyes were locked on the clay, trying to manipulate and properly set it into the needed places.

"I have to admit," Jo began, finally tearing Arlo from his concentration. "It's kinda nice being the one to boss you around for a change."

Arlo looked up, quirking a brow as his hands began to slow. "Oh? Are you suggesting that I usually boss you around."

She smirked, nodding as her eyes remained on her work. "Yup, ol' bully."

"And you're a pest," Arlo was quick to reply.

Jo laughed to herself, but chose not to say anything more. Arlo decided to follow suit, putting the finishing touches on his side. Once he was done, he looked at Jo, staying light on his feet as he awaited further instruction.

Noticing him, she began to ask about carbon bars, steel plates, and further materials as he checked on what was finished and what could be added. They restarted their process again, Arlo feeling as though he was able to move even faster now that he knew more about what to expect. They had kicked up their pace while also finding one that was steady and organized - he had to admit that he liked the simplicity of creating the materials while adding in the science of how the overall structure of her actual end product would turn out.

Not that he had much to contribute in that aspect. He would only see Jo inspecting her work with a hand to her chin and her brow furrowed - which then led her to bouncing ideas and questions off of him that Arlo tried to help with. Though he didn't really have the best answers, he figured it helped her to talk through her thoughts in order to find the right one to choose.

Sure enough, it led them right back into their process as Jo called out another step for them to take.

Arlo hadn't even realized how much time had passed before his eyes finally managed to adjust - noticing their dark surroundings that had seemed to be invisible within the well lit lawn.

How long ago had the sun gone down?

"Think we can call it for now," Jo huffed, as if just noticing the darkness as well. She then walked away from the tower, taking a seat on the edge of her assembly station as she let out another big breath.

"Good idea," he nodded, dusting off his hands as he took a step down from the station. He figured he should likely go, let her get some rest. But his feet weren't exactly eager to lead him out of her lawn and back to his own quarters.

Unable to think of any excuses to stay, making the journey home was exactly what Arlo started to prepare for. His goodbye was right there on the end of his tongue, but never managed to pass through his lips as Jo was already saying something to keep him there.

"Alright, now that we've cleared away the distractions, tell me more about this thing with Phyllis," she told him.

Oh, right.

That was the original reason he had come, after all.

"Not sure how much more there is to tell," he said, sitting down on the edge as well. However, he was at least five feet from her, giving him more of a chance to see Jo's expression.

She had a small smile on her face as she stared at him. "Okay, then I guess I'll just keep things moving by asking questions."

He laughed at this.

"All right, detective," he spoke. "Hit me with it."

"Hmm, I don't think I like being a 'detective' as much as I like being a Captain… But! I'll rise to the occasion," she told him, letting out a cheeky giggle. She then hummed, looking upward as if her potential questions resided up there and she was only waiting for the correct one to grasp.

Arlo noticed the shine in her eyes as she stared upward, causing him to pull his own gaze down to the grass.

"Do you feel good about talking to her? I know it was kind of my idea, but do you think that the conversation went well? That you were able to get your point across?"

Arlo glanced up a little further, looking out past her fence as he thought about her words. He then nodded.

"I do," he answered. "I don't think there was anything I necessarily left out. I said all I wanted to say."

"That's good," Jo told him.

"I think so too," he replied. "Like I mentioned, she was responsive to it and seemed genuinely excited about my idea. She wasn't just telling me what I wanted to hear - you know what I mean?"

Now he looked at her, watching as she nodded.

"I do," she said.

Arlo became aware that he was now openly talking about the entire thing without Jo having to really ask any questions. However, that didn't stop him from continuing. After all, the questions were only meant to get the conversation started.

"I mentioned the high physical factor to our relationship, and she said she had noticed as well - which was a relief. Made the conversation flow a lot easier," he continued.

"Well," Jo began with a shrug. "It's not really everyday that a man tells you he wants more of an emotional relationship… especially after he's already received the physical pieces," Jo admitted.

Noting her tone, he realized that there was a chance that Jo had misinterpreted his meaning behind the whole "physical aspect" thing. He had only meant that Phyllis and him had experienced plenty of touching and making out, but Jo made it seem like he was referring to...

"I'm sure she was relieved, and maybe even grateful," she continued before he could butt in.

Staring at her, Arlo found himself unable to address her regarding his thoughts, knowing that it would almost seem out of place. But really, why did it matter to her - or either of them - what he meant by "physical aspect" anyway?

Finally, Arlo nodded slowly. "Suppose you could be right."

"And the date?" Jo asked. "Was that your idea?"

"It was - yeah," he told her, one of his hands now rubbing the back of his neck. "We've never been on a real date, and I figured that would be a good place to start."

"I think that's a really great idea, Arlo," she told him, her voice light.

Jo's delighted tone caught him a little off guard, making his feet rearrange on the grass. He couldn't help but let his thoughts drift back to Friday night. The Round Table, the bright faces of his friends, the conversation with Jo, the way she had leaned into him.

His head was clouded every time he thought about it, and he had done so well not to think about it. Especially since he had been determined to talk to Phyllis since that night. Since he had been inclined to believe nothing was actually something.

Now he knew better, though.

After calming his insinuating mind, or even now as he experienced Jo's support for his progression with Phyllis. It all spoke for itself. A person didn't encourage a relationship with someone else if there was any thought of "something."

Arlo cleared the thoughts from his mind once more, his temples aching at his sudden change.

Realizing he needed to reply, he let out a breathy laugh. "Thanks."

"And how are you feeling right now? After everything? Excited?" Jo pressed on.

Arlo looked upward now - to the same area Jo had been staring before. While she had been searching for her question, he was now looking for the proper answer. Not because he wanted to please Jo and maybe tell her what she may have wanted to hear. But because he hadn't fully gauged the full extent of how he was feeling.

He wasn't sure if what he was feeling could be qualified as excitement, but he did feel lighter. Like he could breathe a little easier.

Poking his tongue gently into his cheek, he shrugged as his gaze came back down.

"Good," he answered. "I'm glad we're making these steps in the right direction, you know? Wasn't fair to either of us before, and I guess I'm feeling a little more hopeful now."

He watched as Jo smiled, though it didn't reach up completely to her eyes. But, that was only for a few seconds - as she then seemed to spread it upwards to finally crinkle her eyes.

"Well, I'm really happy for you," she stated. "It's not easy to be honest with people, and to not just give up on them when things aren't exactly how you want them. I think it's really great - what you did."

A lopsided smile fell on his own lips. "Thank you, Jo."

She continued to smile, nodding. She then huffed for a final time, looking over to her build that was still a work in progress - but nearly done.

"Let's hope the Mayor and this new engineer like this," she spoke, her voice quieter.

Arlo's smile began to slip. "They will Jo," he reassured her.

Still, her eyes stayed on her work, searching it up and down as well as left to right.

However, this only seemed to last a few seconds before she noticed Arlo's gaze on her, causing her to glance over quickly before looking down. One of her hands came up to tuck a strand of escaped hair behind her ear.

"I just don't want to be way over my head," she told him, her voice steady now. Her eyes then lifted so she was staring ahead, focused on something else in the distance. Despite her words, her tone was nonchalant as if dismissing the conversation before it could actually start. Arlo resisted the urge to let a furrow sit on his brow.

"You're not," he told her.

Now she actually managed to look at him, the stand of hair falling forward again as it caught the slight breeze.

"You're sure?" she finally asked, her eyes wide.

He let out a slow breath. "Completely," he stated. "I just helped you work on this build for the last two hours. I saw what you're capable of."

She now began to smile again.

"So, yes. I can say with absolute certainty that you are not over your head," he told her.

Her smile continued to spread, making her cheekbones stand full and high as she looked at him.

"Thank you, Arlo," she told him. "Means a lot."

"And," he continued. "If you ever need it, know that I am always here to help in any way that I can. Having an extra set of hands never hurts, and any Captain shouldn't be ashamed of having a crew."

"I'll keep that in mind," she started to laugh lightly.

"Especially from her cabin boy," he finished, trying to smooth the smile trying to overtake his lips. He awaited Jo's reaction, and was soon pleased when she offered him one.

Jo now released herself into a full laugh, even tilting her head back a little. "You are not the cabin boy!"

"Fine, fine. I'll be a seaman," he teased.

"Any member of my crew would be grateful to hold that position." Jo fired back at him. "Hold your position with pride."

Arlo laughed, looking down as he shrugged. "Well, perhaps the more you let me help - the more I'll be able to increase my chances of becoming First Mate."

He looked to her, seeing her narrow her eyes at him - though her lips were upturned.

"I'll see what opportunities may arise for you in the future, cadette," she stated.

Arlo lifted a brow. Her words creating a familiar buzz in even his finger tips.

"Aright," he said. "I look forward to it, Captain."

Jo brought her knees up to her, wrapping her arms around them in order to hug them to her chest. "Our work is done for the day," she told him. "I think you're probably the Captain again."

Her words made him bite the side of his tongue within his mouth.

"Alright, I can agree to that," he said.

Jo only smiled in response before her eyes went towards the sky once more. Only this time she wasn't looking for questions or answers, but her eyes glowed with admiration for the stars above. As a breeze came through, Arlo watched as she hugged her knees tighter to herself, her expression unchanging as she continued to stare.

"What a great day it's been," Jo said, her head tilting as she glanced towards another part of the sky.

Arlo saw his breath suddenly start to come out in a gentle cloud, just cold enough to cause the reaction. His eyes remained on Jo, watching as her features and deep brown eyes reflected the beauty from above.

As he was stuck on the color of her eyes, he was suddenly reminded to earlier that day when he had swam in the waves of Phyllis' own eyes - the lively blue color drawing him out to sea.

He let out one final breath, feeling the fall of his chest as he too looked upward to the sky and saw the endless stretch of stars and space.

His lips were pressed into a line before he smoothed them forward, pushing his expression to relax.

"Yes. It surely has."


	11. Chapter 11

Spring was beginning to turn into summer. Jo could tell that from the clamminess that held onto her skin the last couple of days. Humidity was taking over Portia, making her weary of the heat that was sure to worsen as they inched closer to June and July.

Jo had officially swapped out the jeans and sweaters in her wardrobe for shorts and tank tops - allowing her body to breathe as she busied herself in her workspace - already on to her second bridge tower for Albert. She had been pleased when she had finished her first tower the day before, but she didn't allow herself to rest long before she was taking a commission to supply another one.

And she had to admit - this one was going a lot smoother. That was probably because she had the experience and practice already, but even her supplies seemed to be taking less time in the furnace or on the table saw. Or maybe she was just practicing more patience.

Her body seemed to have the whole thing down to a science, though. Her feet bounded over to a furnace just as material finished and her hands moved smoothly despite the scrapes and scuffs they wore from her work before. Determined hands didn't always mean steady motions.

However, she was easing into it. Her shoulders no longer lifted with tension, no further injuries occurred on her hands as they became more practiced, she took less breaks to study her work due to her self doubt. Her lack of worrying surely made her time spent building more enjoyable.

Wiping some sweat from her forehead using her forearm, Jo stepped back from her work as she finished adding in a sheet of strengthened glass.

What next?

Gazing off towards her yard, she saw her furnace had finished three carbon steel bars that needed to be added to her table saw. Her feet were already in motion as she headed to the furnace to pick up the bars and make the switch over to her saw. Once that was completed, she stopped at her wooden chest, knowing that she needed to add more iron ore and wood to start another batch of bars. However, she found herself running into a bit of a roadblock.

"Shoot," she said under her breath, looking into her empty chest.

She had run out of iron ore. She hadn't even noticed that she was low when she had placed the last load into her furnace. Looks like her lack of planning had been her flaw this round.

Straightening up, Jo allowed the chest to fall closed as she let out a small sigh.

"Trip to Mars' then?" she asked herself, looking in the direction of town. She pursed her lips as she considered exploring the Abandoned Ruins where she knew she could access materials if she so wanted. However, her time crunch didn't necessarily support that route. And neither did her knee or ankle. Though they felt much better these days and she was able to get around just fine - she knew they were sure to act up on her if they were strained.

Walking over to the other chest near her front door, Jo opened it and pulled out the satchel she had recently fastened herself. She had used her time being bed ridden to some of her advantage - leading her to create her own unique bag with dark, worn leather and gold buckles. It had served her well the few days she had used it - carrying her tools and resources perfectly.

Pulling the bag across her body, Jo settled the strap on her shoulder as she made her way through her gate. She thought about jogging to Mars' in order to save more time, but she decided against it. Besides, the last time she had ran across town she had bumped into Xu along the way - who immediately voiced his disapproval from her putting such force on her leg. She hadn't experienced any pain, but he kept repeating "three weeks" at her as if it were the words for a curse.

So despite Jo's jitters suggesting that she take off in the same run, she kept her movements slow and relaxed as she walked into Peach Plaza. It was a fairly peaceful Tuesday morning, the plaza leaning more to the quiet side as the only sound really reaching Jo's ears was the rush of water in the fountain.

As she continued on, Jo smoothed some of the straggling hairs around her face to sit behind her ears. There was no doubt that the strands were nearly becoming curly from the humidity, causing them to look frizzy and wild as they attempted to cling to any sweat sitting at her temples.

She looked to her right to find the Round Table, Sonia's cold drinks and the air conditioning within the restaurant calling out to her. However, Jo knew she had no time to give in to either. There was a job to be done and she was determined to finish it as soon as possible - even if she did technically have nine days to do so.

Keeping her eyes ahead, Jo walked down the pathway to the Central Plaza - only allowing her focus to drift in order to say hello to the other citizens heading off to complete their own tasks for the day. She didn't want to appear rude, after all.

Reaching the other plaza, she made sure to call a "hello" out to Paulie before coming to a stop in front of Mars' shop. Only, the man was nowhere to be found. Carol, however, was present as she folded some clothes behind the counter of her own register.

"Morning, Jo," the woman offered as she finished a stack. "Need something?"

"Hi, Carol. Yes, actually, I was hoping to run into Mars. I need some materials," she told the woman.

"I should have figured as much," Carol said, picking up her pile and moving it to sit on a display. "He'll be back any minute now. He had to go make a quick call at home."

Jo nodded. "I'll wait then," she stated before moving to lean against a pillar in front of "Jade's Clothes" - though she had no idea who this Jade person was.

"Of course," Carol said, smiling at the girl. She then looked down in order to start on her next pile of clothes. "So what have you been up to?"

Jo crossed her arms over her chest as she offered the woman a shrug. "Not much. Just working on some of the towers for the bridge they're putting in." The mention of her current commission brought a smile to Jo's face, lifting her cheeks with delight.

Carol nodded. "Oh, yes. I've heard about that. I was excited to hear that the mayor is expanding our town. Besides, there are lots of resources to access in that desert."

Carol's words made Jo's smile spread further as she felt her insides dance. The reaction nearly made her squirm, but she kept her feet planted on the floor instead. Her unfulfilled eager movements were all a cause from yet another Portia citizen confirming that the bridge was sure to be a benefit to their town. It all went back to Jo's declaration, at least to herself, about how important this job was… for the sake of bettering others as well as her reliability as a builder.

"Well, hopefully those resources will be available sooner than you think," Jo said, her voice floating.

Carol laughed gently, nodding to Jo as she moved another stack of folded clothes to her display. Upon turning back to her table, though, Jo couldn't help but notice how the woman paused to look at her.

"You definitely look like you've been working hard," Carol stated.

The woman's words made Jo's skin burn as she looked down at herself. Her clothes were a bit dusty now, her legs decorated with streaks of grease and dirt. Of course her hands and hair were also still a mess, which caused Jo to lift a hand to try and tame the tufts of hair now escaping their place behind her ears. Damn the unruliness.

"Not much time to focus on my looks," Jo told her, removing her fingers from her hair. "I need to put the majority of my effort into my work."

"I never said it was a bad thing," Carol said, giving the girl a reassuring smile. "Besides, I'd say you wear the look quite nicely. A Jo original."

Now this made Jo laugh.

"It may be the next hot trend for your shop," she offered.

Carol hummed a laugh. "If that happens then I'll definitely ask you to come and model it for the other buyers."

"With pleasure," Jo finished with a nod and smile.

The women's conversation died off as Carol was then busied with Lucy, showing her some of the new pieces that they just got in and offering alterations if needed. Jo watched the interaction between the two, but then let her attention drift upward as she admired the blue sky above her. The only clouds she could see were off in the distance and they didn't look like they were headed in Portia's direction. It was sure to be a hot one.

Bringing her eyes back down, Jo blinked as she tried to clear the lines in her vision. As she began to recover from the sun, she looked around the plaza - though she didn't necessarily focus on anything in general. She barely registered the kids laughing as they crossed the plaza, Mei taking photos of the flowers in front of the Portia Times building, or even Higgins firing up his furnaces to start his own day. However, the sight of him did cause Jo to avert her eyes and drift them off in another direction.

Still leaning, she bounced her hip gently as she wondered how much time had passed. Carol had said that Mars would be back soon, but how soon was soon? Jo couldn't help but fidget as she considered how much she could be accomplishing at her workshop right now - Higgins' presence making her only more anxious.

Glancing around the corner, Jo watched Mars' door as she longed to see him come through the threshold and put her out of her misery. But the door remained closed and showed no signs of opening.

Resisting the urge to let out a sigh, Jo faced forward as she kicked the toe of her boot into the pavement under her. She reminded herself that she likely needed to stop thinking so hard about it. The moment you put your mind elsewhere - that's usually when something happened.

A watched pot never boils.

Attempting to do just that, she started to look around again as she considered striking up a conversation with Paulie or even telling Carol that she'd be willing to try on some random jackets just to pass more time.

However, before she could proceed to do either of those things - her attention was brought elsewhere.

She had been scanning the plaza once more, allowing her eyes to trail up the tall stairs before they landed on an unexpected scene taking place at the top. One that she knew she shouldn't be spying on, but she couldn't bring herself to stop.

Phyllis and Arlo.

They were standing together - passing back and forth pieces of conversation. They were both leaning against opposite sides of the railing, facing each other so their attention was only focused on their interaction. Jo could see Phyllis resting in her normal passive stature - something about it always seeming so sensual. She would never fathom how the woman was capable of it. Perhaps it was the nature of her nursing uniform, or her beautiful curves, or even just the confidence the woman radiated. The sight of her clean, blue outfit made Jo unnecessarily aware of her own appearance - making her shift to lean onto her other hip.

Aside from her body language, Jo could also see Phyllis' blue eyes locked in on Arlo - her lips in a smirk as she stared at the man across from her.

Which caused Jo's eyes to do the same.

Sliding her attention to Arlo, Jo felt her brows lift ever so slightly - perhaps even less than a centimeter. Her brown eyes softened as her teeth barely dug into the left corner of her bottom lip.

He was leaning back on his own side of the railing, his hands placed on either side of him to steady himself. His hair was falling in his eyes, but he would quickly smooth it with his hand as he flashed a smile. Not at Jo - at Phyllis. And it was his full smile - flashing teeth and touching his eyes. Jo's eyes stayed fixed on him as she watched his mouth move to speak, to laugh, to smile once more.

She felt her heartbeat a little heavier in her chest as she watched her friend… and this sudden change that had overcome him.

Because there had been a change. She couldn't deny it - and he probably couldn't either if she mentioned it.

Gone was the man at the Round Table who tensed his shoulders, shifted his eyes, and forced his smiles. And now a new man seemed to have appeared right in his place. A man who laughed fully, smiled brightly, and lacked any form of strain in his muscles or features.

He looked carefree. He looked delighted.

To be there. With Phyllis.

Jo cleared her throat, her eyes falling from the scene - landing all the way back down to the pavement in front of her.

Looks like your advice worked. They look really happy together.

That thought made Jo's eyes glance up one more time, but only to sneak one last look at Arlo. Once again, she found him wearing a full grin as he stayed focused on the blonde. Only, Jo's sightline was suddenly interrupted as Phyllis walked over to Arlo's side, breaking their distance, and leaned in to deliver a kiss to his cheek.

And still, Arlo smiled. No longer with his teeth, but it was still there. Shy and… real.

At the sight, Jo felt herself take a slow breath in - her lungs filling completely as she watched Phyllis' lips linger on Arlo's cheek. She couldn't tell if everything was playing in slow motion or if Phyllis really was taking her sweet time delivering the kiss.

Feeling another harsh thud from her heart in her chest, Jo reminded herself to actually let her breath back out - which thankfully left her in a soft rush. Her mind was a mess of thoughts, and she couldn't help but feel like it was feeding over the sensation in her heart or through her skin.

She was unsure of herself - something that Jo didn't often feel. But whatever response was sitting inside of her felt.. Foreign and startling. What was the reason for it?

This was surely a different reaction from the one she had experienced the night prior. When Arlo had told her about his conversation with Phyllis, Jo had merely felt delighted. She had been pleased with his decisions and his courage to take action - and she had made sure he knew it.

So why had her reaction in the plaza been so different?

Maybe it's because seeing it is a lot different from hearing about it…

… Meaning what?

As her eyes remained on the two on the stairs, she watched as they parted from one another - sharing more words as they stared at one another.

And Arlo smiled again.

Foreign. Starling.

Jo scanned her thoughts further, trying to search through the sea of confusion for something that was actually sensible and realistic. And then one jumped out at her. One that made her heart ease ever so slightly. That made her take the warmth in her skin as a glow of pride for the man at the top of the stairs.

He's making it work.

Jo allowed the realization to enter her head with ease. And then repeated it to herself over and over again. It made her smile, her eyes shifting down once more as she gave them the real privacy they deserved.

He's making it work. Because you don't just give up on something when it's not exactly what you want it to be… remember?

As she had mentioned, seeing it was different from just hearing about it. Because Arlo had proven he wasn't one to tell others what they wanted to hear or make promises he couldn't keep. No - he had stayed true to his word. Seeing him actually take action stirred her pride more deeply than simply discussing the matter.

That had to be it.

She thought about looking up again, to see the couple's scene play out for the third time as if to validate it was...real. However, she didn't manage to lift her spying eyes before someone was calling out to her.

"Jo!"

The sound of her name made Jo lean off of the wall suddenly as the man she'd been waiting for finally rounded the corner.

"Mars. Good morning," she said, her voice breathy as if she'd been holding in air.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," the man said, taking a step towards his shop area. "Didn't think I'd be gone for that long."

Jo shook her head, waving him off with a small smile. "Don't worry about it. I have time."

She didn't really, but with her thoughts still in a whirlwind - it felt like the right thing to say.

"I was hoping to buy some iron ore from you," Jo said, moving towards Mars' booth.

"Already? You bought so much yesterday," Mars told her, already going to retrieve the materials.

Jo laughed lightly. "Sadly, I'm already out," she told him. "These builds call for a lot of carbon steel bars nowadays."

"Well," Mars said with a shrug as he set aside a large stack for her. "At least you're keeping me in business."

Laughing once more, Jo finished her exchange with Mars. She put all the iron ore she could fit into her satchel before Mars had to wrap the remaining pieces into a cloth bag. She then pulled it over her shoulder, thanking the man as she prepared herself to head back home.

Only, as she began to walk away, her feet moved slowly - no longer eager to breakout into a run as she had been on the way to the plaza. No, instead, they moved as though weights had been placed into her shoes - keeping her at a snail pace until she would finally give in to her impulses.

So she did. She looked up once more.

But her eyes didn't fall on the couple. There was no Phyllis and Arlo anymore.

There was only Arlo.

He was looking out at the plaza, but not in her direction. In fact, it didn't even look as though he was looking at the plaza itself, but passed it. Over the stone walls and out towards the fields and river.

Without realizing, Jo's feet slowed to a stop as she stared at him. Stared at the way his eyes scanned the distance and his shoulders relaxed downwards as he folded his arms over his chest.

And that smile was still on his face.

Jo's lips parted, her comparison from before entering his mind again.

She pictured the man that had been sitting across from her that night at the Round Table and the words that had left her mouth as she tried to get through to him. To ease his scattered mind about something that he hadn't been willing to talk about… well, up until the point when Jo was able to slither her way in.

She considered the things that he had said. And how he was worried about what he had with Phyllis due to the lack of what it entailed.

And she, once again, thought about how Arlo hadn't just given up. How he had cared enough to talk through this thing with Phyllis, to take Jo's advice, and to actually apply it.

But now look at him.

That smile. It says it all.

He made the right decision.

A tingle fled over Jo's skin as she felt her throat tighten. However, she quickly swallowed in order to ease away one of the sensations. She then managed to smile to herself as she pulled her eyes away from Arlo, knowing that she needed to stop busying herself with the thoughts of her friend so that she could move on with her own day.

As she turned away, the sensation over her skin grew - nearly sinking itself into her flesh so it could invade her somewhere deeper. She figured it was likely the side effect of her pride for Arlo and his decisions - her passions tended to get the best of her.

But it was true - she was proud of him. For being willing to give something a chance.

The sensation grew.

And Jo knew it was time to go.

So she left - heading up the pathway towards Peach Plaza as she tried to focus her thoughts on how many carbon steel bars she still needed to make. However, her thoughts remained cloudy.

Because with the feeling of butterfly wings fluttering over skin and dancing within her stomach - she thought of her friend once more… and how happy she was for him.

He's making it work.

* * *

"Last one."

Jo added the final three carbon steel bars to her table saw, firing it up once the materials were properly in place.

"Shouldn't take too long," she said to herself, dusting off her hands.

She smirked at her comment, her eyes then casting over to look at her nearly finished build. Despite the minor set back that morning, she had worked her butt off the rest of the afternoon and was sure to have an end product by the end of the evening. All she had to do was attach the three steel plates set to the side on her assembly station - as well as the last one currently forming on her saw. However, she sadly wouldn't be able to deliver the bridge tower to Albert until the following day as it was starting to get quite late.

Letting out a yawn, Jo flicked on one of her outdoor lamps in order to provide her with more light before she headed to her assembly station. At least she could drill on the other plates while she was waiting for the last one to finish.

Picking up one, she went to the left side of her build and climbed up the small step ladder that she had already placed there. She then reached for the drill placed in her tool belt and started to raise her arms over her head as she aimed to put the plate in place.

Only, the placement was a little higher than Jo could comfortably reach. She was on the second step from the top on her ladder and wasn't sure if she dared to go any higher. When she had finished the last tower, Emily had been gracious enough to offer to hold the ladder when she saw Jo struggling while she was out watering her crops. The extra support had made Jo feel more grounded and confident when taking that final step, but she wasn't so sure if it was safe to do the same now.

Looking down at the top step, Jo's brow furrowed as determination ran through her.

She wasn't going to let one measly step stop her from finishing her project then and there.

Nodding to herself, Jo placed one foot on the top step and leaned a little weight onto it. Nothing seemed to change or suggest that she wouldn't be well supported.

You can always brace yourself against the tower. It's sturdy enough.

Settling the argument in her mind, Jo propped herself up so she was fully standing on the top step. She felt tension grow in her stomach and legs as she balanced herself, a rush of warmth also filled her face and even the top of her head.

See. All good.

Yeah. She was balanced. She felt fine. Besides, if she worked fast enough then she wouldn't have to be in that position for that long.

Taking that lost thought into consideration, Jo slowly turned her focus back to the tower - making sure not to allow her legs to wobble at all. She then leaned forward a little, bringing her drill and plate to the correct placement once again - which still wasn't exactly an ideal reach for her. It was one that she still needed to strain to, but she was so close .

Without taking any moment to overthink it, Jo suddenly shifted slightly onto the tippy toes of her right foot - knowing that it was the last boost she needed. The warmth in her now became even hotter, like a blaze over her skin. But she moved the sensation to the back of her mind as her eyes stayed fixed on her hands that were in the process of drilling in one corner of the plate - her tongue sticking out in concentration.

Almost there.

The screw continued to sink in, Jo's eyes watching it slowly disappear into the other connecting metal. However, once the screw was completely in, she didn't feel a sense of satisfaction - but a sweat further breakout over her skin as she noticed herself losing her sense of balance.

The slightest wobble occurred in her left knee, causing Jo's eyes to grow wide as she began to fall forward. She quickly countered this by pulling her body in another direction in an effort to correct her center of gravity - but her efforts fell short. Instead, the drill in her hand flew out onto the grass while her other hand desperately reached out to grab onto the tower to help her. Only, she couldn't reach it.

Eyes growing even wider, Jo knew she was going to go tumbling backward… and what was sure to catch her consisted of the metal edge of her assembly station.

That's not going to feel good against your back.

At a loss, Jo could hear pounding in her ears that sounded as if it were in the distance - but she knew it was likely the murmured sound of her own racing heart. Or so she assumed since the beating was so strong in her chest.

Finally, feeling herself falling back, Jo's foot lifted off of the ladder as she went tumbling backward. Her mind felt fuzzy, only focused on the idea of bracing herself for the pain of the impact.

But the impact she experienced was not at all what she had expected. Because instead of hitting the metal edge or even just the grass - Jo felt herself fall back and hit something else.

She had only fallen less than a foot when she endured her back colliding with the sturdy front of what seemed to be another person. And sure enough, her suspicions were confirmed when she saw two arms come forward to move around her midsection - hugging her to the person in order to support her further.

As she fell completely into their embrace, Jo felt them stumble a little as the person tried to steady them - which only took seconds. Jo's feet were quickly planted down on the ground as she registered both her and the person - who was still currently holding her - finding their balance once again.

Acknowledging her solid footing, Jo let out a slow breath as she relaxed into the person behind her. However, her mind quickly became alert as she realized she hadn't even known who it was currently holding her. But, with one look down, she could instantly identify them.

Glancing down at the arms around her, she was met with an eyeful of white and yellow leather firmly placed against her midsection.

She could feel the rise and fall of his chest against her back. His chin brushed against the top of her head as his breath came out in a small huff.

Butterfly wings danced over her again.

Swallowing hard, Jo moved her arms in order to grab hold of the man's wrists in front of her. She parted his arms gently, allowing her to take a step forward out of his embrace and then slowly place his arms off to each side. Her fingers slid delicately against the leather of his jacket as she let him go - then turning around to face him.

"Arlo," she said, her voice wavering slightly.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his brow furrowed as he stared down at her. His blue eyes searched her expression, shifting back and forth in a flicker.

The way he was looking at her made it hard to squish the wings still fluttering over her, but she knew she needed to. Or at least she needed to brush them off of her for the time being.

What's up with you? Get it together.

Thinking on her feet, Jo quickly bubbled out a laugh - watching as Arlo lifted a brow at her reaction. It only caused her to laugh some more.

"I'm glad you happened to be here," she told him, quick to take a step away as she studied her build. It was much better not looking at him. "I could have been a lot worse off."

After confirming that no damage had been done to her build during the fall, Jo still didn't look at him as she addressed her ladder once more - acting as though she may move it over to continue her work. However, there was a tremble running throughout her body that Jo despised. For many reasons - but the only she was willing to admit was that it currently kept her from effectively continuing her work.

A silent sigh left her as Jo finally brought herself to look back at Arlo, glad to see he wasn't still staring at her. Instead, he was busy picking up something at his feet. Straightening up, Jo could now see her drill laying in Arlo's hand. His own eyes were inspecting the object before his gaze lifted to her.

Brush and squish. Brush and squish.

She smiled at him, reaching out a hand to take the drill.

Only, he wasn't that quick to give it up to her.

"What are we going to do with you, Jo?" he asked. Despite the abrupt question, though, his tone was light and friendly.

At least that was some sort of relief.

"What do you mean?" Jo said, her head tilting slightly.

He laughed now. "I think it's clear what's going on here," he told her.

And two butterflies suddenly reappeared.

What was he insinuating?

"What?" she asked, choosing to quirk a brow and place her hands on her hips. She refused to let her eyes grow wide, her cheeks become pink.

No way.

"You," he said, gesturing to her.

"And what about me?" she asked, feeling herself able to brush a few butterflies off of her once more as she became more focused on their words rather than anything else.

Out with it, Arlo.

"You know what I mean," he said, shaking his head. "You're completely accident prone."

Oh… that.

She could handle that right now.

But, wait… hey!

She scoffed. Feeling herself relax, Jo couldn't help but lean forward to give him a small punch in the shoulder.

And just like that. All the butterflies evaporated.

"I am not!" she told him.

"Oh?" he said, crossing his arms as he smirked. "You don't think so? Between the fights you stumble into… hitting your head… falling off ladders…"

"Those were very specific circumstances!" she continued. She paused for a moment, watching as he quirked a brow at her. "And you just happened to witness all of them…"

Arlo barked out a laugh again.

"Would you shut up?" Jo said, now leaning forward to grab her drill from his stupid hand. She made sure not to allow their arms or hands to touch during her movements. Once she had the drill, she moved back to the tower, considering stepping up the ladder once more as her jitters had completely disappeared.

But Arlo's words stopped her from taking the first step.

"Yes, and I can only imagine the many other circumstances that I haven't been around to witness. I'm sure there are plenty more," he suggested.

She glanced over her shoulder, scowling at him.

"Not true," she told him, unimpressed.

"I find that hard to believe," he countered.

"Well, believe it," she said, her back to him again. "I'm accident free whenever you're not around."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," she said, grabbing the side of the step ladder. "Maybe you're just a bad luck charm."

"Ouch," Arlo said, however his tone didn't suggest any kind of actual hurt as he now walked around Jo so he was in front of the ladder. Facing her.

"Truth hurts," she joked, taking a step up the ladder. The moment she propped herself up, she saw Arlo's hands come forward to brace the ladder, steadying it for her.

"You're helping me now?" she asked, taking another step up.

He shrugged. "I told you I would help whenever you needed it. Besides, I know it's likely better for me to just go ahead and help you instead of trying to talk you out of working."

That was pretty true...

"But I don't need your help," she stated.

"I find that hard to believe as I just saved you from breaking your neck," he reminded her.

She rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't have broken my neck. There would have only been some light bruising."

"Whatever you say, builder. Let's try to prevent that as well though, yeah?" Arlo said, leaning more of his weight down to hold the ladder. The shift in the support caused Jo to look down at him, noting how blue his eyes looked in the light of her lamps.

"Do I really want to accept help from someone who just called me accident prone…?" Jo said, pulling herself to look away as she searched for her answer in the air before her.

Arlo cleared his throat. "Would you be willing to accept their help if they told you they were sorry and meant no offense?"

This brought a small smile to the edge of Jo's lips before she slowly looked down at him.

"I think I can arrange that. But only because I have to show my gratitude somehow," she stated.

Arlo's smile grew a little wider as he nodded. "Consider us fair then."

Jo let out a small chuckle, once again finding herself rolling her eyes at his words.

Now this felt right. This felt good. Not fighting off tingling sensations that she couldn't explain… or that she had been able to explain as pride - at least earlier that morning - but now couldn't use that same excuse.

But that didn't matter anymore. Because now Jo had found herself in the right place with Arlo. The right rhythm. Their playfulness was, and had always been, merely two friends attempting to get underneath one another's skin.

After all, she did the same thing with Sam. She didn't do that necessarily with Emily - but that's because the girl was too sweet for Jo to ever consider picking on her.

Although, if she was going to compare his friendships to one another, then she could insist that the touchy moments she had with Arlo resembled those she had with Emily. The only difference was that Emily was a girl… and due to sexual preference there was never any possibility for Jo's actions to be misinterpreted as anything else.

Perhaps that was why Jo had continually felt these odd sensations… They were all just worries. Unnecessary worries. Because Arlo and her were opposite genders with "standard" sexual preferences, as far as she knew, and there was so much insinuating that could occur.

Was that what she had really been worried about? That this was all somehow different because they were opposite genders? That's what suddenly had her caring what other people would think for the first time in her life?

Well, that needed to change.

No longer would she let her worrying get the best of her. She didn't want the simple act of spending time with her friend make her feel tingly and unsure. That wasn't fair.

They were friends. There was no more overthinking that fact based on what she "feared" others might think. Not at all.

Bringing herself back to her actual present world, Jo could feel the stupid smile laying over her lips as she addressed her friend once more.

"Okay, if you do want to help… I think we'd be better off if you were on this ladder rather than me," Jo suggested with a sheepish grin.

Arlo looked up at her, seeming both impressed and shocked. "Are you really letting me take over for once?"

Jo shook her head as she stepped down the ladder. "No. I'm just letting you screw in the plates while I coach you," she told him.

"Yeah, but you're usually the one who always insists on taking the hands on approach," he insisted. "This shows great growth, builder."

Jo let out a huff that was a mix of a laugh and a sigh before gesturing to the ladder. "Will you just climb up already and screw the plates in?"

"With great honor," Arlo said with a nod as he took the drill from her and took a step up.

Jo once again shook her head as she watched him step all the way up, his taller height making it so he only needed to go to the second step from the top in order to screw in the plates with complete ease.

Choosing not to just stare at him, Jo let him continue screwing in the corners as she grabbed another plate from her stack and handed it up to him when he was ready. The second plate was drilled in even faster as Arlo seemed to get the hang of the process - causing the third one to quickly be placed in as well.

"Hang on!" Jo called out, as she jogged over to her table saw. The last plate was waiting for her, which she quickly received before heading back to Arlo. "And for the finale," she said, handing it up to him.

Within thirty seconds, the plate was in and Arlo was stepping back down the ladder and landing next to Jo. They then took a step back together, looking at the finished tower as Jo felt her cheeks growing sore from her smile.

"Yes! Done!" she called out.

They then turned to one another and exchanged a high five, which nearly caused a laugh to bubble out of her.

Yeah… this was different. Not a bad different, but as she felt her hand collide with his and even stared at him afterwards - she knew there had been a shift.

She could see it in herself… and even in Arlo - though she didn't know how to explain it in regards to him.

But for her, butterflies no longer threatened and she didn't feel her palm grow warm at the touch of his hand to hers - which usually spread like wildfire.

It was amazing what could be shifted once you accepted the truth. The circumstances.

But she liked this. She liked the acknowledgement within herself of what they were, and that she knew she no longer felt this need to prove anything to anyone. Because they were friends.

She had spent the rest of Friday night at the Round Table, and even days after, worrying that Phyllis would think something else… or that Arlo would even think that Jo wanted more after the way that she had leaned into him.

But now she knew that was all ridiculous. Phyllis and Arlo had to know that Jo would never do anything to offend either of them, or come in between them.

Because she wouldn't. Why the hell would she?

Phyllis had to know that Arlo and Jo were just friends. And Arlo had to know that as well… after all, he was one half of that equation and could feel it for himself.

Right. This felt good. It felt so good being able to identify everything. To put a name and a meaning to it all.

Jo looked over at Arlo and smiled, not only because she was thankful for his help - but because of… well… everything.

Because he was making things with Phyllis work and he was in something special with a good person.

Because he had done a pretty good job of drilling in those plates - if she could say so herself.

And because she knew they were on the same page. It felt so good to come to that conclusion after being stuck in her own anxieties over such foolish things the last couple of days. But now she was able to stand there with her friend, and continue building her friendship with him unapologetically.

"I'd call this a success," Arlo said, taking his usual stance by placing his hands on his hips. He nodded towards the tower, a smug smile laying over his lips.

Jo matched it, feeling her face light up as she turned her eyes from him and stared at the build as well.

"Yeah. I would too."

* * *

On Wednesday, Jo was on to her third bridge tower - her body buzzing as she went to Mars' to get more iron ore. However, that was mainly because she could see Higgins putting the final touches on his first tower. She couldn't wait for him to go to the Commerce Guild for another commission only to find out that the other towers were already done.

Oh the sweet, sweet justice!

After buying the iron ore, Jo made her way back home - still making sure she wasn't running - in order to start right away. She had thankfully decided to throw her remaining iron ore from the day before into the furnace overnight so she could get a head start on her carbon steel bars. She had ended up with twelve bars waiting for her that morning.

She spent the day in autopilot - able to work her way through piecing together the tower without having to really reference her building instructions. With each completed material or the sight of the tower slowly coming together, Jo felt confidence coursing through her.

Three. She continued to think to herself. You're going to complete three!

I hope he would be proud.

Jo's eyes lowered to the ground, though they weren't necessarily looking at anything. She swallowed hard as she passed a long breath out of her lips, looking up once more.

Shake it off. Back to work.

Around noon, she was pleased with the progress she had made. She was nearly half way there, based off of the height of the tower. All of the hardened clay she needed was already done and waiting to be put into place. The tower's light was set to the side and waiting for the structure to be tall enough to add it. It was all well on it's way!

And then around one, Jo had an unexpected guest coming through her gate - voicing their approval for her work as well.

"Bloody hell, Jo," the familiar voice called out. "How is it you're already this far along on your next tower? Did you sleep after I left last night?"

Jo turned to see Arlo standing behind her as she wiped her hands off on the rag hanging at her waist. She knew she had grease likely stained over her nose, but she didn't care at that moment. She could only beam with gratification due to her work.

"You can rest easy, Cap," she told him, stepping down from her assembly station. "I slept plenty. I just also happened to be very tactful in my approach for this last tower."

Arlo laughed. "I can see that."

She smiled. "So what brings you here? Shouldn't you be off saving lives? Or at least making rounds?"

He shrugged at this. "Actually no. Normally Wednesdays are set aside for fulfilling product commissions in the Sewage Ruin, but we didn't have any today. So now I'm left with some downtime."

Jo quirked a brow at his last words. "Oh? And you decided to use that free time by paying me a visit? … Or is this really just all an act and you're fulfilling your 'protective duties' by coming here to make sure I'm not causing any more 'accidents?'"

Arlo chuckled at this, causing Jo to smile at him.

"Although you do have a point - you have my word that I'm not coming here to spy on you," he told her. "I did, however, stop by in order to see if you needed any help. It seems it has become part of my routine nowadays."

Jo thought about his words for a moment before nodding. After all. he had spent the last two nights with her in order to assist with her builds. He did have a fair point.

"You're right," she confirmed. "You're pretty imposing."

He scoffed. "Imposing, huh? I thought we made a pretty good team."

She smirked at this, looking down momentarily before glancing back up at him. "Fine, I'll admit to that. But only because I've been able to boss you around the whole time."

"Pest," he said with a shake of his head.

"Bully," she tossed back, going to her furnace to collect carbon steel bars.

Though their voices grew silent, Jo could hear Arlo's footsteps over the grass before he was standing at her other furnace and also picking up some finished bars. She said nothing as she saw him gather them with ease and then head straight to an open saw and add the bars to it. Within seconds, it was fired up and working away.

He then went over to the assembly station and looked at the materials set to the sides.

"Do we need to add the hardened clay?" he asked, facing away from her.

Jo stared at him, her lips parting before they shifted into a smile. She started up from her own saw before grabbing the two steel plates that had finished. She then walked over to join him at the station, walking passed him as she went to her ladder.

"Not yet," she told him as she climbed up. "But after I add these two plates then we can install the light. And after that…I think we just need two more plates before we add in the remaining clay."

Arlo nodded. "Got it." He then moved to her, holding down the ladder as she started to drill in the plates. Although she was only on the second step from the top, she was still thankful for the extra support in case anything went wrong.

Oh, come on. You don't actually think you're accident prone, do you?

"Is this the last thing you need to build?" Arlo asked. "Is the bridge expected to be done once the towers are installed?"

Jo shook her head as she drilled in the last plate. "Unfortunately, no. Albert wanted the towers first and then they're going to post the commissions for the steel beams… which I think they also need four of."

She finished her work, stepping down from the ladder.

"And I'm assuming you're planning on also building three out of four of those? Before Higgins can say otherwise?"

"That's the plan," Jo said, putting down the drill. "I would build all four if I could, but I don't see that happening - so I'll settle for three."

Arlo laughed at this, watching her as she leaned down to grab the light sitting near her feet. She grunted as she lifted it up - feeling the weight of the strengthened glass straining her arm muscles. Arlo seemed to notice her struggling as he reached out to take the light from her and then side stepped her so he could approach the tower.

"Hey, I can do it," she protested, but he was already up the ladder.

"Take a break," Arlo stated. "You can afford to relax a little. Besides, what good am I here if I'm not actually helping?"

Jo wanted to argue that he had been assisting her by holding the ladder before, but she chose to let it lay. She needed to bite her stubborn tongue more often when it came to accepting help. Sometimes it was just better to give in and save your breath instead of challenging it at every turn.

Deciding to just that, she folded her arms over her chest as she waited - her eyes glancing off towards her saw as she tried to see how far along the next steel plates were. She could instantly tell that they had quite a ways to go.

"And done," Arlo said, stepping back down. His words caused her eyes to snap back to him before they slid upward to examine his work. Sure enough - it looked nearly perfect.

She settled for "nearly" because she would never allow him the satisfaction of knowing her full approval.

He smiled over at her. "And what next?"

And just like that, their afternoon continued in a similar fashion. They worked around one another - putting materials in their correct places, picking fun at one another, or even taking a break at one point as Arlo tried to juggle three of the carbon steel bars. Only, he nearly dropped all three on his toes - causing Jo to laugh as she questioned who was really accident prone.

The day turned into evening and they had finished the last tower - with Arlo being the one to screw in the top steel plates, of course.

They shared another high five at their work, Arlo even giving Jo's shoulder a small squeeze as they stared at the finished product. The final tower… just like that.

To show her gratitude, Jo wanted to offer to buy Arlo a drink at the Round Table or cook him dinner on her teeny tiny grill. However, she wasn't able to offer either as Phyllis came through her gate with a brown paper bag.

Jo stood by as she watched Arlo turn to smile at Phyllis, which caused Jo's stomach to grow warm as she mirrored his smile before turning to the approaching blonde.

Phyllis said something about looking for him… about bringing him dinner… about seeing if he was free. She voiced to Jo that she didn't want to steal him from her, but Jo instantly waved this off - telling the two to go on ahead.

Phyllis had nodded, offered her thanks, and then started to lead the way out of Jo's yard.

Then there was Arlo.

Beaming at Jo as he offered her one last high five before he gestured to the build and said something about a "job well done."

And then something else about how he would see her later before he began to back up in the direction that Phyllis had gone.

Jo gave him the same sentiment, which then led Arlo to turn around and take off jogging in order to catch up with Phyllis. Off to have dinner.

Then Jo stood there, her dirty hands within her rag as she tried to wipe off the grease stains that she knew would require soap and water.

She smiled at the couple walking away before she stared down at her hands.

And still, she smiled.

* * *

On Thursday, when Arlo showed up at Jo's workspace after his day of work - Jo wasn't the least bit surprised.

Instead, she immediately put him to work in order to assist her with her first steel beam. Although it was a different process, Arlo was able to adapt easily in order to help her. In fact, he was the reason why the majority of her bronze pipes were finished so quickly.

They made a lot of progress in a short amount of time, even with their frequent breaks. But Jo didn't mind the pauses in her plans at all. In fact, having Arlo there to keep her mind clear and make her laugh had only made her process more enjoyable.

A smile was nearly painted on her face all evening as Arlo would try to put the bronze pipes onto his fingers to make them long and gangly, or how they would attempt to create their own pirate songs as they installed the wooden boards onto the steel beam.

At one point, she found herself even wiping tears away from her eyes and holding her stomach as Arlo tried to rhyme "first matey" with "bait...y."

However, their evening eventually came to an end when Arlo told Jo he had to go. He mentioned that he wanted to walk Phyllis home from her late night shift at the clinic.

She voiced her approval for his chivalry, and then they exchanged their goodbyes. And he was gone, leaving Jo to drill the last steel frame into place in order to finish her first steel beam.

Once it was secured, she stepped back - smiling at her work and the events that had occurred to create it.

* * *

Friday came, and Jo found herself at the Corps' headquarters this time around. All because Arlo had informed her the night before that they may have some extra bronze pipes sitting around. After all, they normally found loads within the Sewage Ruins and he had no use for them if no one was requesting them.

Jo was more than glad to take them off of his hands.

However, once she had arrived at the headquarters, Sam had been there - and she was so glad to see her that she insisted Jo stay to hang out with her. As much as the brunette wanted to continue working on her second steel beam, she couldn't deny that she also wanted to spend some time with her friend. She had hardly seen Sam all week.

"She only wants you to stay because it's her turn to clean the main room and she's recruiting you for help," Arlo said over his shoulder as he looked through some paperwork.

Jo watched as Sam scowled at the back of Arlo's head before throwing her cleaning rag across the room in order to hit him in the shoulder.

"Not true!" Sam called out.

Jo laughed at the exchange before turning a suspicious look to Sam. "Is it, though? Because I don't exactly mind."

At Jo's words, Sam held the broom in her hands tightly as she kept her eyes wide, the rest of her expression smooth. However, her lips soon slid into a smile as she handed over the broom to Jo, causing the brunette to laugh once more.

Arlo shook his head as he glanced back. "You really shouldn't give in to her little antics, Jo."

She turned to look at him, raising a brow. "Who said I was giving in to her 'antics?' Maybe I was really just trying to get the broom from her so I could challenge her to a spar since she tried to use me!"

With this, Jo looked back at Sam and held the handle of the broom in her hands like a sword, preparing herself to take on Sam.

"Then I'd say your plan has failed," Sam said with a small chuckle. She then grabbed hold of the broom as well, her grip was firm as Jo and her began to press the broom at the other until they were dancing around one another. Only, Sam was both stronger and more tactful than Jo, causing her to think quickly on her feet.

After a few seconds, Sam stopped pushing the broom and instead pulled it to herself, causing Jo to stumble forward until Sam shifted the handle once more. That time, however, she aimed it down to the ground near her left leg, causing Jo to fall to the floor with it.

The moment Jo landed there, she broke into laughter as she held the broom handle across her chest. Sam only stared down at her, shaking her head as she placed her hands on her hips.

"You are ridiculous," Arlo stated, now fully turned to look at their little scene.

"Some fight," Sam said, smirking down at Jo.

"You didn't even give me a chance!" Jo called out as she finally stifled her own laughter.

"I don't think you would have had one no matter what," Sam said, shaking her head once more as she went to grab a new rag. "I think you losing means you really do have to sweep the floors now."

Jo smiled up at her, letting out a small sigh. "Fine."

Pulling herself up, Jo dusted off her stomach as Sam walked away to start wiping down some of the desks and shelves. However, one person's eyes still remained on her.

"What are you looking at, Captain?" Jo said, leaning onto her right hip.

"Apologies," he said. "I think I was just distracted from replaying your little failure in my head a few more times."

He gave her a smug smile, looking back at the papers in his hands.

"It wasn't a failure!" Jo tried.

"Whatever you say," he mused, still not looking at her.

Jo let out a single laugh to herself before she braced the broom in her hands once more, taking her fighting position. "I think those are fighting words, dear sir."

But Arlo still only offered her a side eye and the simple rise of one corner of his mouth.

"Prepare yourself!" she told him, taking a step forward.

He tilted his head back in order to let out a laugh at her words, then turned to face her again. "You can't be serious."

"I'm completely serious," she told him with a nod, now moving the broom to start spinning it in her hands as she took another step forward. "Unless you'd like to forfeit now."

"Forfeit? Really, Jo…" he started, but she was starting to gently push the bristles of the broom into her left shoulder, teasing him with the light impacts. She then continued spinning the broom, smiling at him.

"If I can take on a bandirat then I think I can take on you," she teased him further, then bringing the bristles to his right shoulder to repeat her little taunt.

Only, Arlo's reflexes were cat like as he suddenly brought up his arm and deflected the broom with his wrist, sending it to the floor.

She was unarmed.

After watching the broom land, Jo turned back to Arlo with a slightly dropped jaw. "How dare you!"

She then approached him with slight force, grabbing him around his waist as she tried to tackle him to the ground - but despite having to stagger one foot backward to brace himself… Arlo didn't budge.

Jo grunted as she tried to twist her body to shove him to his right side, but he still didn't move.

"Why are you so freakishly strong!?" she yelled out.

Arlo laughed - Jo was able to feel the bounce of his stomach underneath her arms and chest.

"Why are you so freakishly weak?" he offered.

"I am not!" she told him. And with this, she felt her brow furrow as further determination filled her. Her mind drifted back to Sam's approach of pulling rather than pushing, causing Jo to instantly grit her teeth. Bending her knees and tensing her muscles, Jo jeaned her weight into him firmly before she was suddenly yanking backward, pulling him along with her.

"Jo - " he started, but her efforts had caught him completely off guard as he started to stumble towards her. It seemed he was about to stabilize them both when Jo was taking a step backward and her heel managed to catch on the corner of a table.

Staggering backward, Jo's grip remained around Arlo - causing her to pull him along. She watched as he tried to reach out for something, but his hands found nothing, which left him sailing down with her.

Sure enough, they fell to the ground with a thud - Jo landing right on his back while Arlo came down right on top of her. She managed to brace her head, not allowing it to hit the floor. But her foot had managed to kick off to the side a little, bumping her toes into the corner of the coffee table as well.

The moment they settled onto the floor, Jo looked up at Arlo who's hair had now flopped into his face and his lips were parted as he let out a huff. The whole image caused Jo to roll her head backward, erupting in complete laughter.

* * *

Arlo's whole body tensed as they hit the floor, trying to do whatever he could not to let his weight come down on her with full force. That was sure to knock all of the air out of her.

However, in that process, he managed to slam his forearms rather harshly against the wood floor on either side of her. He grunted at the impact, knowing that he was likely to see some bruising later that day.

As they came to a still on the floor, he was ready to ask her if she was alright, when she succumbed to full laughter. Perhaps he should have expected that - considering this was Jo he was talking about. However, he couldn't help himself from scoffing at her, feeling her body trembling under him due to her giggling.

"Oh, you think this is funny, do you?" he asked, raising a brow.

Jo continued to laugh, her words barely coming out. "Absolutely. You should see… your face."

He shook his head at this, in disbelief at the woman under him. Speaking of under him… perhaps it was time to start getting up.

"You are the bane of my existence," Arlo told her as he started to lift himself off of her.

However, he only brought himself onto his hands and knees so he was still hovering over her while she was in her laughing fit. He wasn't sure why he had only managed to lift himself up only this far, but perhaps it was due to seeing her wiggle around with complete delight. Her cheeks were full, turning pink due to being pinched from the smile across her mouth. It filled his own muscles with a new tenderness.

After watching her like this for a few moments, he finally allowed himself to laugh as he stared down at her.

"Can you just get up now?" he asked, though he was technically still in her way from doing so.

Jo started to contain her laughter, but shrugged. "I don't really know. I think I may have broken a toe," she said, another bubble of laughter escaping her as she nodded towards her right foot.

Arlo groaned, though he knew it wasn't effective due to the grin still on his face. But he did manage to clip out two words to her. "Accident. Prone."

She laughed at this as well, causing his smile to spread as he continued to stare down at her. His hair was all in his face, but didn't interrupt his vision as he kept his eyes on hers.

However, with Jo's laughter finally calming down, Arlo couldn't help but become exceedingly aware of himself, causing him to recognize that their bodies were still completely lined up… he was still basically on top of her... It was quite… intimate.

And with that, he finally fully leaned away from her - no longer hovering above. He, instead, moved to sit back on his heels as he glanced down to her right foot.

"Did you hit it against the coffee table?" he asked.

He watched as Jo nodded, leaning up onto her elbows in order to look at her foot as well. "Yeah. It felt like one of my middle toes got wedged pretty hard."

"You always have to go the extra mile to prove yourself, don't you?" he told her, giving her a pointed look.

All Jo could do was answer him with a smile, sinking down in - what seemed to be - pretend bashfulness.

Arlo sighed before looking up from her and glancing at Sam.

"Sam, do you mind escorting our friend here to the infirmary? I think she needs some medical attention."

"Medical attention? Really?" Jo complained.

"Yes, really," Arlo said, giving her another look before his eyes went to Sam again. "Sam?"

"I'm on it," Sam said, throwing down her rag before appearing at Jo's side. "Come on, you."

Jo let out a slow sigh, causing Arlo to prepare himself for her to argue with him. Only, she seemed to swallow her reluctance instead as she slowly got up from her spot on the floor. Arlo followed suit, but rose to his feet first in order to offer his hand down to her. He watched as she stared at it for a second, leading him to believe she may just smack it away. But she surprised him once more when she chose to take it instead and allowed him to pull her up.

The moment she was back on her feet, Arlo slipped his hand from hers.

"Great fight, Arlo. You're a worthy competitor," Jo said, taking a stumbling step forward along with Sam.

Arlo chuckled. "Whatever you say," he replied before shooting Sam a look. "Make sure she gets there alright."

His tone had grown more serious, surprising himself as it hung in the air around them. He only hoped that the other two women had really noticed.

"She'll be fine. It's just right across the way," Sam replied with the roll of her eyes.

It appeared that Sam had.

"Might as well be a mile for her," Arlo stated, trying to recover. "Anything can happen."

Jo seemed to open her mouth to say more, but he watched as it fell shut once again as her eyes went down to her right foot. He wanted to ask if she was okay, or experiencing any pain - but he found he was unable before she was calling out her goodbyes.

"See you later, Cap!" she said, and then Sam and her were making their way through the doors - leaving Arlo to stand in the room alone.

When the doors finally came to a full close, Arlo couldn't help but laugh to himself, his eyes casting downwards to the broom on the floor as he thought about the occurrence between him and Jo. He slowly bent down to pick it up, but his eye caught something else once he straightened up.

His gaze moved upward towards Rem's room where he found the man himself. He stood just outside of the door, leaning against the railing as he stared down at Arlo.

"Oh, hey Rem," Arlo spoke, moving to lean the broom against his desk. "How's it going?"

"Going well," Rem said with a nod, but offered nothing more.

Arlo stood there, shifting on his feet slightly as the man's eyes remained on him. When he realized that Rem wasn't going to say anything else, Arlo found himself clearing his throat as he nodded towards the door.

"Sam's just off taking Jo to the infirmary," he said, his hands moving to rest on his hips. "She may have broken her toe, so they're getting it checked out."

Rem nodded once more. "Yeah, I caught most of that."

Oh.

Arlo bit the side of his cheek as he registered Rem's words, unsure what to say to the man. However, that was only because there seemed to be a strange shift in his friend. Rem appeared stiff, focused - but on what exactly? Of that, Arlo was uncertain. He was also uncertain if he should ask, so he figured it was best to let the man be.

After all, Arlo could have just been imagining things due to the scattered thoughts inside his own brain.

Now Arlo nodded, choosing silence as he began to turn from the man and glance back to his desk. However, Rem spoke up again, causing Arlo to look back at him once more.

"Arlo," Rem started, leaning his elbows off of the railing now. "Mind if we talk?"


	12. Chapter 12

"Sure," Arlo drew out the word, quirking a brow. "Something important?"

"That depends," Rem said, now coming down the stairs.

"On?" Arlo replied, crossing his arms as he leaned against the side of his desk.

"What you classify as important," Rem finished.

Confusion ran through Arlo once more as he tried to decipher what this all could be about. Rem wasn't exactly one who usually requested to "talk," and if he did it was only about business. But Arlo couldn't help but feel like that wasn't the topic of conversation right then. So what was?

Shot in the dark, but it's probably about a certain brunette…

"Okay…" Arlo began again. "Why don't you just tell me what this is all about then?"

Better to just rip off the bandaid, right?

Rem nodded, quickly grabbing the back of a nearby wooden chair so he could pull it over. He then placed it a couple of yards from Arlo and took a seat. His stature remained firm and calm, but his gaze was serious as he settled.

Well, this certainly does feel important.

Arlo wanted to question the man once more, or perhaps order him to start speaking that instant before he reached any level of annoyance. However, it didn't seem fair to use his position as Captain in his personal affairs. Besides, Rem managed to continue before Arlo could do either of those things.

"I couldn't help but notice that you and Phyllis have been spending a lot of time together," Rem spoke, leaning forward a little.

That wasn't what Arlo had been expecting. Perhaps it was only his paranoia that had caused him to make ridiculous assumptions beforehand. The ones about the clumsy brunette...

Or perhaps, he needed to stop finishing this conversation before it even started. Rem had only mentioned one singular thought, and Arlo was now jumping to another set of conclusions. After all, he didn't even understand why Rem had been mentioning his time with Phyllis. He knew they were, and had been, seeing one another.

"Well… yes," Arlo started. "You know of my relationship, Rem."

Rem huffed out a laugh. "That's not what I meant. I'm saying… recently. Recently you two have been spending more time together than usual - even going out of your way to do so."

Arlo's brow furrowed at Rem's words. He could feel his heartbeat a little faster in his chest as he continued to try and make sense of where this conversation was planning to lead. He couldn't help but think he wasn't going to necessarily like it.

"Well, I suppose that's because we talked earlier this week about making some changes… and now we're both just trying," Arlo stated. He realized he had never really discussed the talk with Rem after all was said and done. Though, he didn't see why he would have.

Really, he hadn't even mentioned it to Sam. She only knew the further details because Phyllis was her best friend and had filled her in.

The only person Arlo had told was…

"Yeah, I heard Sam mention something about that," Rem confirmed.

Of course Sam had said something.

Arlo wanted to visibly groan and roll his eyes, but he decided to keep his childish reactions to himself. Instead, he nodded at Rem's words.

"She also mentioned something about you and Phyllis going on a date?" Rem continued, his words coming out a little slower.

Arlo shrugged. "We never had the chance to do it before, so I figured now was a good time. It wasn't exactly in good taste on my part - to wait so long."

Rem nodded and Arlo could see the man's jaw tense only slightly before he spoke again. "Do you think… you waited because you didn't necessarily believe you and Phyllis would make it this long?"

Arlo felt his body flinch back at Rem's words, the furrow in his brow growing deeper as he continued to accept their meaning.

"That's a little harsh, Rem - don't you think?" Arlo spoke, his tone somehow deeper.

"I'm sorry if I'm out of line," Rem stated. "But I've been on the sidelines watching all of this happen - never allowing myself to step in - but this time I couldn't just sit back."

Arlo stared at his friend, noticing that his heartbeat still hadn't calmed, but it also hadn't increased either. He chose to say nothing - waiting for Rem to continue as he tried to ease his exasperation. After all, Rem had just mentioned that this took a lot for him to come forward - Arlo wasn't going to disregard the man and succumb to random irritation without hearing him out.

What good would that do?

"I just don't understand it," Rem carried on. "I get that you talked and now you're following up your word by working through the actions, but… why did you have the talk in the first place?"

"What do you mean?" Arlo said.

"What I mean is…" Rem trailed off, his eyes casting away as he was suddenly lost in thought. Though, Arlo could see the way his leg bounced only twice and his fingers slightly knotted together.

Finally, the man let out a breath and looked back to Arlo, his head shaking.

"To be blunt, we both know this thing with you and Phyllis isn't right, so why are you trying so hard to make things work?" Rem spoke.

Arlo noticed an ache in his chest. He even felt tugging on both sides of his body as he let Rem's concern set in. He almost didn't believe Rem had actually said those words.

One half of him wanted to instantly challenge the man, claiming that he had no idea what he was talking about. However, the other part of him wanted to let out the breath that he felt he had been holding for months. To take comfort in the fact that someone was finally… seeing…

No, no. That wasn't right. That's what Arlo had felt before . Before he gave Phyllis the benefit of the doubt and had decided to actually try. But now he knew better. Phyllis and him had been doing great over the last week. It was clear they had both listened to what the other had said during their "talk," and were now actively applying it.

But was that what was making Arlo feel good about this entire thing? Or was he actually feeling hopeful due to the progress Phyllis and him were making?

The latter. Of course it was the latter.

"Isn't right?" Arlo asked, the arms crossed over his chest growing tighter. "That's hardly fair, Rem. I admit that things seemed off between us before, but that's because we weren't progressing how either of us wanted. Somehow we got carried away with the physical aspects."

"You both got carried away?" Rem asked, his tone making Arlo's shoulders tense.

"Yes, of course. But now we've talked and it's clear that we both wanted a more mental and emotional connection - we just never took the proper steps to get to know the other on that level before. It was always muddied up by other people," Arlo finished.

Rem leaned forward in his chair once more. "And that I agree with. That last statement. 'Other people are muddying it up.' First thing you've said this entire time that actually makes sense."

Arlo let out a quick breath, trying to follow Rem's reasoning.

"It has been muddied by other people," Rem confirmed. "Because Sam kept putting these ideas in your head, Arlo."

Arlo couldn't help but let out a scoff at this. "Oh, come on, Rem."

"It's true," Rem continued. "I'm sorry to just jump to conclusions, but all the facts are right there. Look, Phyllis is great - that's clear. But when this all started I didn't see you have any draw to her or notice you planning on making any moves yourself. Sam placed these ideas in your head and put things in motion. You just never said no."

Arlo swallowed hard as he listened to his friend carry on. Now his heart was beginning to beat a little faster.

"That's not true," he finally managed.

Rem's chest fell suddenly as he leaned backward once more.

"I like Phyllis," Arlo spoke. "Sam may have set us up, but I chose to keep pursuing it."

"Right," Rem agreed. "You like Phyllis - we all like Phyllis. But I'm finding it hard to believe that you like Phyllis in the way that Sam hopes you do."

Why did this have to keep coming back to Sam? Arlo was plenty capable of making decisions for himself. Just because Sam had been in the equation didn't mean that Arlo couldn't have developed feelings for Phyllis even after his friend had originally planted the idea.

"Rem, I understand what you're implying, but it's ridiculous. I do like Phyllis. I know that it wasn't necessarily fireworks from the start, but sometimes that's just how it goes. You have to take your time, learn about the person the proper way, and go from there. That's why we're going on the date. To stop getting ahead of ourselves and learn about each other mentally so we can move forward. Neither of us had that chance before, and I can't say something isn't right just because it wasn't perfect from the start."

Rem grew quiet as he brows knitted together, his eyes were now aimed down to the floor - causing Arlo to only feel sunken in as he resided in the silence.

What could the man be thinking?

Had he finally gotten through to him?

Then Rem's eyes came back up, still filled with a firm seriousness.

"Is that what you really want?" Rem asked.

Arlo's chest clenched. "What are you getting at, Rem?"

"From my experience…" Rem started, looking as though he were picking his words carefully from a pile. "You shouldn't have to try so hard for these things. I don't know about you, but if this thing between you and Phyllis was meant to happen then you wouldn't have needed to have that talk."

"Well, we both know I'm not the best at articulating my feelings," Arlo jumped in.

"Agreed," Rem got right back on track. "And that's why I think you're doing all of this. You're not admitting your true feelings and just doing what's easy."

"Seriously?" Arlo said, shaking his head. His heart hammered harder into his chest.

"Yes. Arlo, you shouldn't have to try so hard for a mental and emotional attraction - it should just be there. It should appear on its own and be clear… easy. Don't you think so? Don't you think that everything would sort itself out if the right person came along? That it would be effortless and all fall into place?"

As Rem's last question hit Arlo, he could feel his eyes shift to the floor. His mind was a whirlwind, filling with thoughts that he had no control over as scene after scene played in his mind.

Of a conversation in a yard with a green jacket hanging in his hand. Of sitting beside the sea as wind whipped through hair and words fell from mouths. Of harsh commands leaving one's mouth as they longed to protect, while the other refused protection. Of a warm, tiny body leaning into his almost… effortlessly.

Arlo gave his head a good shake, wiping the thoughts away as if they were words on a whiteboard.

Nothing. It was all nothing.

Thankfully, Arlo found himself unable to dwell on the thoughts further as Rem chimed in once more.

"I mean, were you even physically attracted to Phyllis at the start? Or even now?"

"Yes, of course. She's beautiful," Arlo stated.

"I know she's beautiful," Rem spoke. "But are you attracted to her?"

"What are you going on about?" Arlo asked. "Is there a point to this?"

Rem shrugged. "I know how physical attraction works, but I also know you well enough to believe that you would never solely drive on physical attraction. I think Phyllis got carried away in that regard, but not you."

Arlo wanted to interject once more, but found that he couldn't. His skin felt warm as he listened to Rem, unsure what exactly was causing his sudden reaction.

"You can't force the mental and emotional attraction," Rem stated. "You can't force any of this to happen in a relationship. Whether it's connection or attraction - especially when this all wasn't your idea in the first place. Just like how you can't necessarily force yourself not to feel something for someone that's out of your control. You can try to push things to the side, but they will always come back."

Arlo felt himself stiffen at Rem's last words. He hated how they made his entire body become ablaze, to the point that he could feel stomach acid rising up his throat.

He didn't like what Rem was implying, and he surely couldn't address that now.

So he chose to address something else. Something a little easier.

"I'm not forcing anything," Arlo spoke, trying to keep his voice light. He didn't want Rem to see he was getting to him. Even though his body language likely gave him away.

"I am attracted to Phyllis in those ways," he continued. "And I do feel a connection between us. I only wanted the chance to grow that further and get to know her more."

"But why? Up until about a week ago you seemed uncomfortable with this all. Like you didn't want it. What made that change?" Rem asked.

That was a valid question. Arlo had to admit that. He recalled how he was acting at the Round Table that Friday night - how his body language was obviously speaking for itself. Or even the times before then. When Sam would mention Phyllis and he would stammer until he could change the subject, or when Phyllis would show up and Arlo would try to keep things cordial in front of his fellow friends.

Of course Rem had noticed the change from then to now, and he likely knew that something within Arlo hadn't just suddenly switched on its own. It had to be coming from somewhere else.

And as much as Arlo didn't want to admit it, he felt the words already pouring out of him.

"Last Friday at the Round Table, when you were all dancing, Jo and I talked about the whole thing," Arlo told him. "She helped me identify what was wrong and what I could do to potentially change it. So I took her advice. I went to Phyllis and talked to her about everything going on and tried to see how she felt too. Which leads us all the way back to now. We both wanted to try."

Rem's head was tilted back as he stared up at the ceiling, but he then let out a laugh as Arlo finished talking. Bringing his head forward again, he continued to smile - one of disbelief.

"Jo… Jo was the one who gave you the advice," Rem said. It wasn't a question.

Arlo felt his stomach flip, but ignored it with everything he could. It was nothing. Nothing.

"So you knew something was wrong and decided to fix it… because Jo told you to try…" Rem repeated.

Arlo's brows pulled together. "Yes."

"Arlo… I'm sorry. It's great that you didn't just give up on Phyllis and everything, especially without checking in with her first… but if you were even having an inch of doubt then you should have just broken it off," Rem finished.

His head was spinning. Arlo couldn't help but feel like the tugging within him had ended, but now he was taking blows from every side instead.

"I didn't want to break it off," Arlo told him. "I'm trying to do the right thing here, Rem. I thought you of all people would be supportive of that."

"But you're not doing the right thing. Especially for yourself - and that's my main concern," Rem stated. "This whole time you've mentioned trying and doing the right thing, but did someone else make you feel that way or did you decide that for yourself?"

"Bloody hell. Myself, Rem," Arlo said, his muscles rolling out a little. "I can think for myself."

Rem nodded. "Exactly. Which is why I think you're completely aware of what you're doing right now."

"And what is it that I'm doing?" Arlo asked.

"Like I said before, forcing something to work while also forcing something aside," Rem said.

Once again, Arlo fought off the urge to show any reaction to Rem's words. After all, Rem was only drawing more conclusions.

"What am I forcing aside?"Arlo asked, shaking his head.

Silence broke between them for a moment until Rem let out an exasperated breath. Arlo felt his harsh stare piercing into him, but he remained unwavering.

Rem let out another breath. "Come on, Arlo…"

No.

The realization fled over Arlo within seconds, proving that Rem had no need to continue. His muscles had only grown tense as if they were suddenly made of stone.

How dare Rem go that far.

"I don't know what ideas you've gotten into your head, but you're mistaken," Arlo stated, his voice hard.

"Arlo…"

"I'm making this decision for myself. No one told me to ask Phyllis on a date… to spend more time with her. I may have been advised to talk to Phyllis and go from there, but this was my decision."

Jesus. He couldn't even say her name now. "I may have been advised…" Bloody hell.

Shake it off.

"So you can save your arguments because I do want this. Not for anyone else. Not because I'm forcing anything to stay, or leave for that matter. The decisions I'm making are for me ."

As he finished, Arlo stared at his friend, noticing the change in his expression. Rem's features had now smoothed, his dark eyes had become softer.

"Arlo..." Rem tried again, but the draw of his name only annoyed him further.

Pushing himself off of the desk, Arlo started to adjust his gloves as he shook his head.

"Forget it," he stated. "There is no use continuing this conversation. I'm heading out."

He then began to walk towards the door, noticing Rem beginning to stand from his chair. But Arlo only continued to move away, his body feeling heavy with each of his harsh steps.

Electricity ran through him as his hand touched the wood of the door, his frustration sitting over every part of his body - it was especially thick on his brow.

However, when he began to push the door open, Arlo had one final thought drift into his head, causing him to stop with only one foot out. He turned back to Rem, seeing the man stand there with a new sadness upon his face.

But Arlo didn't let him phase him.

Especially as his words fell from his lips.

"And it doesn't always fall into place all on its own. Sometimes it can be just as hard when it's the right person."

With that, Arlo fully slipped out of the door before shutting it firmly behind him. The moment he heard it close, he waited for the sense of relief. For that drawn out breath to leave his body, empty his lungs, and make him feel like there was an actual conclusion.

But it didn't come.

Instead, he stood in the grass, blinded by the bright sun now hanging above him as he felt his face and arms become sticky from the thick air **. **There was no breeze or spring chill passing through to cool his skin, but only the humidity of summer that made the air feel heavy and catch in his throat as he inhaled.

His body was tightened in a way that made him feel as though he was trembling, causing him to want to shake out every limb in one big jolt. Only, he didn't. He stood there, swallowing the lump that had grown in his throat as he failed to take deep breaths.

His first serious and personal conversation he ever had with Rem and it had to end like that . To his credit, he knew it was his fault that it hadn't ended on great terms, but he felt it was justified in its own right.

Rem wouldn't listen to him. No matter what Arlo's reasoning had been, Rem stuck to his beliefs and refused to waver. Even when Arlo had simply reassured him that his plan was thought out and his feelings were valid.

Surely he had done that… right? He had to admit that he wasn't fully sure what his parting words to Rem had meant, but they had stumbled out of him rather suddenly. Which in that case, a lot of what Arlo had said during their discussion could have left him in a similar fashion.

He stood there, his hand rubbing his chin as he tried to replay what he had said in relation to Rem's own "argument." None of it seemed out of place.

But had it been true?

Arlo swallowed once more, ignoring the tight knot that had formed there again. He was so tired of his thoughts being scattered within his own mind, each one being cast about as if it were a piece of paper in a tornado. All he could do was reach, grab the closest one, and try to make sense of it while the others still danced around him.

What a mess.

The entire thing. From Rem coming to Arlo with his concerns about Phyllis - especially since Arlo had finally worked all of his mixed emotions - to the fact that Arlo had left in such an irritated rush. It was only, he couldn't even begin to describe how much it annoyed him to have someone question his word when he had worked so hard to straighten it out for himself.

He really had thought Rem would be supportive and accepting of what he was trying to do.

But Rem hadn't been. And part of Arlo - the part that wasn't succumbing to anger - felt guilty that he hadn't handled his friend's honesty better.

Rem had never said anything like that to Arlo before. The whole conversation could have been classified as the "deepest talk they had ever had." Perhaps that was why Rem's logic was piercing into Arlo's skin and thoughts.

And the more he sat with Rem's words, the more indifferent he felt. The tugging that he had felt… it was resurfacing, but now it was also partnered with the blows.

Arlo knew Rem cared. He could pick it out in every sentence that Rem spoke during their little "talk." However, Arlo hadn't wanted to relish in the man's concern, but to push it away. Especially when Rem had insinuated certain circumstances with…

Arlo's mind drifted off momentarily as he glanced over, seeing the infirmary standing to his left. He felt his shoulders relax as his mouth fell into a line. As he stood staring at the door, he couldn't help but imagine the scene within… the brunette sitting in a chair as Xu fussed over her toe… all while she continually insisted it was "fine."

Tearing his eyes away, Arlo let out a sigh and felt the air rush out of his entire body.

He needed to stop this. Rem's words couldn't get to him and make him believe something was there when he had grown to accept the nothing. He didn't know why he kept coming back to it when it didn't matter. The friendship was what it was and he was fine with that - he had been holding onto that the last few days and had enjoyed every minute of it.

He enjoyed the friendship .

Just how he was enjoying spending time with Phyllis.

Rem could say whatever he liked, but he wasn't Arlo. He didn't know how he actually felt… he could only assume. And Arlo wasn't going to let assumptions ruin the plans he had made, or deter him from implementing them.

He had to try. He needed to. He wanted this. And no one had made that decision for him.

With that thought, Arlo felt himself straighten up as he finally took in the breath he had needed, despite the humidity. He looked out towards the ramp leading down from their hill, nodding to himself as he began to distance himself from the Civil Corps headquarters and his skeptical friend.

Others could believe whatever they wanted, but at the end of the day - this was only between Phyllis and him.

* * *

Arlo stood in front of her door, his hands residing in his pockets while his right knee gently bounced. He tried to keep his head clear as his focus remained on the wooden door. However, he found that silencing his thoughts wasn't exactly working.

No thinking about Rem.

You're going to enjoy tonight.

You were excited about tonight.

That's that.

We're not thinking about Rem.

The weather had taken a turn - the muggy air of the day now a warm and comfortable evening - which had a few of his fellow Portian's out and enjoying every second of it.

Letting his inner monologue quiet to a murmur, Arlo stared out at his surroundings, studying the individual scenes playing out before him. Whether they consisted of children playing a game of tag or others enjoying their dinner on a park bench, they brought a small smile to his face.

He couldn't help but wonder how he would be spending his own time if he hadn't made plans for the night.

One idea entered his mind, but was instantly cast away as he brought his attention back on the door before him. He continued to wait for the woman - though he wondered if she had heard his initial knock. He considered repeating his action, but found there was no need as the door was then pulled open.

"Hey," she spoke, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "Sorry about that. I couldn't find my keys."

"No worries," Arlo spoke, giving her a smooth smile. As she stepped out and turned to lock her door, Arlo took a moment to study what she was wearing, noting her simple black dress that hugged her every curve. She definitely put him to shame. He had only traded his usual uniform for something more casual - leaving him in a brown leather jacket and without his beloved gloves.

"You look great," he finally voiced once she turned back to him. "I feel like I should be wearing a tux."

Phyllis let out a close mouthed laugh at this, her blue eyes shining up at him. "Nonsense. You look great."

Arlo smiled as a form of gratitude before he nodded in the direction of town. "Ready for dinner?"

"Absolutely," Phyllis said, gracefully following him in her heels as he began to lead the way. How she managed to wear such high heels everyday and never seemed phased was beyond him. He had to say he even admired it.

"How did your lab work go this afternoon? I know you mentioned you were worried because Xu was trusting you with more responsibilities, but did it go well? No explosions or potential mutations?" Arlo mused.

He looked at her, smiling as his hair fell in his eyes. Earlier, he had tried incessantly to smooth back the strands with water or gel in order to tame it somehow, but his efforts had failed. Hopefully Phyllis could forgive it.

Arlo watched as she looked at him, her smile growing as well before she shook her head. "No explosions or mutations," she confirmed. "Xu seemed impressed with my work, or he was just being nice."

"I'm sure he wasn't," Arlo answered. "Doctors probably have high standards, and I'm sure you met his."

Following his words, Arlo felt Phyllis' arm suddenly link through his. He hadn't even realized he still had his hands within his pockets, causing Phyllis to reach out to him in the only way she could.

A wave rushed through his brain, bringing him to slide his hand from his pocket and maneuver her touch until they were holding hands. Once their palms were met and their fingers were linked, Arlo came to the realization that this was the first time they had held hands. It felt… fine.

Fine? Really?

Okay… it felt… nice. Yeah, nice.

There wasn't his usual rush of uncertainty. If anything, he felt perfectly calm.

God, why was he expecting to feel anything different?

Pushing his thoughts aside, Arlo brought his attention back to the woman next to him, noticing how soft her skin was within his hand. He was sure his own palms felt rough and harsh due to his calluses. However, the smile on Phyllis' face insisted that she didn't mind.

"What about you?" Phyllis asked. "How was your afternoon protecting the town of Portia?"

Arlo let out a small laugh at her question. "It was uneventful. Seems even crime wanted to take a weekend."

Really, Arlo had spent a lot of his day doing rounds within the Abandoned Ruins, which were usually pretty quiet. Although, he did have a bit of entertainment when Toby had tried to sneak in and steal one of the jetpacks. That incident had only led to Arlo giving him another one of his "talks."

And then the rest of his day has been dedicated to finalizing his plans for their date. His biggest accomplishment was how he had managed to get everything sorted without giving Sam a single clue about any of his plans. Knowing her, she would dress up in all black and linger around in the shadows all night so she could witness the whole thing for herself. He wasn't going to let that happen.

"I wish I could say the same for the infirmary. It seems the need for medical care never takes weekends or holidays," Phyllis said, rolling her eyes.

"Lots of foot traffic today?" Arlo said, staring down at her.

"Oh, yes. Between Isaac coming in to show us his mole again and Mars showing up with multiple wedged fingers - it's never a dull day in the world of medicine," Phyllis spoke.

Arlo chuckled at the thought of Isaac storming in and insisting on flashing Phyllis his lower back for the eighth time that week. He never tired of hearing about the story whenever she brought it up.

As they walked, Arlo continued to poke fun at Isaac for his own enjoyment, and for Phyllis' as she continued to laugh as he pitched potential scenarios.

Finally reaching the Central Plaza, he felt Phyllis tug against his hand as she stepped in the direction of Main Street. Only, Arlo's own hand stopped her. Noticing his resistance, Phyllis looked up at him with full confusion wearing on her brow.

"I thought we were going to have dinner," Phyllis said.

Arlo nodded. "We are."

"I had assumed that meant we were going to the Round Table," Phyllis stated, pointing in the direction of the restaurant.

Arlo felt a smirk fall on his lips before he shook his head at the woman. "Not tonight. I thought we'd try something else. Something new."

He watched as her expression shifted from puzzled to wonder as she registered his words.

"Oh," she spoke. "And what does that include?"

"Well," Arlo began leading the way once more, but went in the direction of the Central Plaza gate instead. "If you follow me then you'll find out."

Accepting his words, Arlo felt Phyllis squeeze his hand gently as she allowed him to guide her out of the plaza until they reached the grassland. He then turned to his left, facing the eastern area, which immediately gave away their location for the night's dinner.

"Oh, Arlo," Phyllis said. "This is lovely."

In the patch of grass ahead of them laid a blanket accompanied by a picnic basket and multiple lanterns. Despite the setting sun, their little spot was still well lit and seemed just as inviting as he had hoped.

"I hope this will do," he told her, closing the distance to the spot. "I know it's not the infamous Round Table, but they still have wine and decent spaghetti."

"Lucky for you," Phyllis said, releasing his hand as they reached the blanket. "Spaghetti is my favorite food."

"That is lucky," Arlo confirmed with a smile as he lowered himself down. He made himself comfortable on the blanket, glad to see that Phyllis followed suit. Her eyes were wide and wondrous as she looked around at the lanterns, the light they eliminated reflecting in her eyes.

Arlo took that moment to open the bottle of wine and poured some into one of the glasses he had placed within the picnic basket. He then handed it to her before he poured himself some as well. He wasn't exactly a big wine fan, but he figured it fit the mood better than hard liquor.

As they began to sip their wine, they continued their easy conversation. It only consisted of snippets of what could be considered "small talk" in Arlo's opinion, but he didn't mind. He enjoyed hearing the pieces of Phyllis' world in any way that she was willing to provide them.

"You sure know how to plan a date," Phyllis said, taking another sip from her glass. "I'd say this was worth the wait."

"Thank you," Arlo said. "Though I'm still not keen on how long I waited."

If you wouldn't have waited so long then Rem wouldn't have laid it on so thick yesterday afternoon.

Didn't we decide not to think about this?

"That's alright," Phyllis stated with a shrug. "We're here now and that's all that matters."

Phyllis then reached towards him, placing her hand on top of his as the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly.

"Indeed it is," Arlo said. He then looked to the basket once more, slowly placing his wine glass down. "Spaghetti?"

"Please," Phyllis said, taking another sip from her glass. Her hand was then back in her own lap.

The moment fell quiet as Arlo began to put their plates together. The silence made his skin tingle as though he were vibrating from the inside out. He didn't know why he was so keen on trying to think of something to say, but he couldn't help but wrack every inch of his brain.

Perhaps it was time to ask her something deeper… That was the point, wasn't it? To get to know her.

"So how much longer are you planning on studying under Xu's wing?" he finally asked. It was the first topic that popped into his mind, which he immediately decided to take. It seemed like a better option than 'what's your favorite color' or 'what music do you fancy?'

He handed Phyllis her plate, just in time to see her shrug.

"I don't have a timeline really," she told him. "It has been a few years and I've learned a lot, but I'm not sure you can ever say it's enough."

He nodded at her answer, spinning his fork on his plate as he gathered some noodles.

"You seem fully capable of doing more," he told her. "But I understand the notion that we never stop learning."

Phyllis finished her bite before using her napkin to wipe her mouth. "Exactly. I'm actually in the process of learning about acupuncture therapy, which is something I would have never considered until Xu put the idea in my head."

"Acupuncture, huh? Always seemed a little dodgy to me," Arlo admitted.

"I'd have to agree with you a few months ago, but now I have a completely different perspective," Phyllis told him. "You should come in and try it sometime. Or I could even give you a private session at my place."

Arlo registered the familiar sound of Phyllis' voice suddenly dipping, which nearly caused a noodle to catch in his throat. Thankfully, he managed to swallow it before he was led to any choking or hacking.

"I think it's going to take a lot more convincing than that," Arlo laughed, shaking his head.

"Then I'll be sure not to give up that easy," Phyllis continued, her voice returning to it's normal tone.

No issues with swallowing his spaghetti that time.

Silence filled the air once more, but Arlo made sure to bounce back a little faster that time around.

"Do you plan on traveling at all in the future, though?" Arlo asked, setting down his plate. "It might be a great chance to grow your practice with acupuncture. You know, with experiencing how it's done in other cultures."

"Mmm mhmm," Phyllis said, finishing another bite. "I've considered it. I haven't done any traveling since I came here. But that's because of my parents."

"Your parents?" Arlo asked, raising a brow.

"Yeah. not exactly my favorite people," she told him.

Arlo nodded slowly, considering her words. "And why is that - if you don't mind me asking. Feel free to give me the shortened version."

"Oh, I don't mind at all," Phyllis said with a wave of her hand. "It's boring anyway. I was just a young woman feeling sorry for myself because my parents were forcing me into an arranged marriage. So - I left. Right in the middle of the night. I haven't talked to them since."

Wow. Arlo hadn't known that. It seemed like something he should have known or would have been mentioned at one point or another. Or maybe not. Perhaps Phyllis really didn't care much to talk about it.

She didn't even seem bothered as she mentioned it then.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Arlo said, his voice becoming quieter. "I can't imagine having parents turn on you like that and having to leave everything behind."

"It's whatever," Phyllis quickly replied, she waved him off once more as she took a swig from her glass. The second she lowered it from her lips she was already smiling, seeming as though she had moved on from the moment.

And Arlo couldn't help but feel… disappointed. It was odd, but he was nearly baffled at how quickly she had shifted from his conversation. Not because she necessarily seemed as though she didn't want to talk about it, but because she didn't think it mattered.

And that saying what left her mouth next mattered more.

"I'm glad I left. Especially because now I have a handsome Captain with a sexy British accent all to myself."

She reached over then, one of her hands moving through his hair as she smirked.

This all seemed very familiar.

However, he had to admit that he hardly noticed her touch as his mind was slightly distracted by her words.

Handsome… sexy.

Those were the words that she used to describe him...

And how would he describe her?

Intelligent… refined.

There seemed to be a difference in their choice of adjectives.

Pushing a smile onto his lips, Arlo looked down at his glass before taking a sip. They grew quiet once more, but he didn't feel as rushed to fill the silence. Instead he felt himself almost on edge as he waited for her to chime in… to ask him a question.

But seconds continued to tick by and Arlo felt each of them as a thick pluck in his pulse.

"Oh, look over there. The stars look amazing tonight," Phyllis said, pointing towards the Western Beach.

Arlo looked out, following her gaze as he saw the countless lights shining up in the sky. They stretched out farther than his eyes could see, appearing bright and full as the lamps from town didn't skew that piece of the sky.

"Wow," was all Arlo could manage, but it was enough to confirm Phyllis' words. How mad was it that this same scene laid above them each night, but they didn't necessarily always take the time to admire it? It surely made no sense.

Still staring out, he couldn't help but let his eyes begin to drift downward - away from the sky was toward something else. His gaze then landed on another light, positioned on the side of a little home hundreds of yards away.

However, he couldn't see any movement within the property's fence, partly due to the dark and partly due to the trees.

I wonder what she's doing right now.

The sudden, and uninvited, thought had Arlo giving a harsh shake of his head as he tried to rid it completely from his consciousness.

His movement seemed to spark Phyllis' attention as well, as he now felt her eyes on him and soon heard her voice.

"Are you alright?" she asked, the stars now forgotten.

"Yes," Arlo said, perhaps a little too fast. He then cleared his throat, reaching for some self control. "Just a random chill. Not sure what caused it."

That was kind of a version of the truth.

"Maybe you just need some warming up," Phyllis reasoned before she began to scoot closer to him. It took only seconds before she was right to the side of him, leaning her weight over so she was pressing into him.

That hadn't exactly been his plan.

"Better?" she asked, looking up at him.

Before he could think better of it, he was nodding at her. "Better."

As he felt the weight of Phyllis against his side, and even slightly on her chest, Arlo noticed his thoughts begin to wander once more. He felt scattered, papers flying throughout his mind as he was reluctant to look at any of them. Meanwhile, the content blonde next to him seemed to not register his sudden change whatsoever. Her eyes remained on the stars.

Feeling her against him, Arlo's mind suddenly became fixated on one thought… one piece of paper, but he was unable to grab a hold of it before Phyllis was speaking again.

"I can't believe Jo lives in that little shack all by herself," she stated.

Arlo did everything within him not to stiffen underneath Phyllis' weight.

How had this topic managed to occur? And why?

"What do you mean?" he asked, his tone dry.

"She just lives out here all by herself. I know I live alone, but at least I'm in proximity to other people," Phyllis continued. "Plus that shack looks like it's about to fall over."

He rolled out his jaw slightly as he listened, his midsection twitching a little as he tried not to disturb her.

It's not a shack.

"I don't think she minds," he stated.

"I still can't imagine bringing myself to live somewhere like that ," she concluded with a shrug.

Arlo wanted to address her words, but he didn't trust his voice. He was sure if he were to speak that his tone would give away his feelings - and Phyllis didn't need to know that her words had affected him.

He only thought that Phyllis should understand why Jo chose to live there … like that. It was her father's workshop for Christ's sake, and while Phyllis had been determined to escape her parents… Jo had only wanted to grow closer to hers in the only way she could. At least her father.

As the idea played through his head, Arlo nearly kicked himself for his assumptions. Jo had never come right out and said those were her intentions, and Arlo had no right to assume they were.

Okay, but really - why are we even talking about Jo? Thinking about her?

That was the last thing he wanted to talk about. To think about.

Feeling the pressure of Phyllis against his side once more, Arlo realized he hadn't even registered whether she had continued their exchange after he had been lost in his own thoughts. However, he didn't exactly feel like asking her as he only wanted to drop their previous conversation.

So he changed the subject.

"So tell me honestly, what did you think of the spaghetti?"

Grabbing hold of his new topic, Phyllis led the way through their discussion as she praised his cooking skills before she began talking about her other experiences with food. Apparently she was more of a foodie than Arlo had realized, especially when it came to sweet items. Arlo listened intently, keeping himself distracted by her words as she explained how big of a difference peeling chocolate over a dessert rather than grating could make.

However, as the night continued, the air began to shift and the temperature dropped by the minute. It wasn't long before Arlo noticed Phyllis shaking, causing him to quickly stand from the blanket and then proceed to wrap it around her.

"Thank you," she breathed, rubbing her arms to warm herself further.

"Perhaps we should go?" Arlo said, offering her his hand now. "I'd never forgive myself if you caught a cold on our first date."

Phyllis giggled at this and allowed him to pull her up gently. Once she was standing, he turned away and collected the plates, glasses, and lights before placing it all within the picnic basket. Luckily, it wasn't too heavy within the wicker as Arlo braced it in his left hand. His right was instantly met with Phyllis' hand sliding into his once more.

They walked back towards the Central Plaza gate, Arlo silent as Phyllis chose to fill the air between them. Only, she didn't offer any questions or require any info from him. She only spoke of acupuncture again and the wonderful changes it had brought to Sanwa's lifestyle.

But Arlo's head was elsewhere. He couldn't help but replay the evening over and over in his mind - even though it wasn't technically over yet. However, as he continued to focus on various moments, he also couldn't help the nagging thoughts invading him - each one making his body feel as though it were sinking further into the ground.

Without him realizing it, Arlo and Phyllis had reached her front door once more, finding themselves facing one another as it was now time for the night to come to an end. Or so Arlo thought.

As they turned to face one another, he opened his mouth to begin his goodbye, but proper words were never actually formed. Instead, Phyllis' was suddenly putting his mouth to use elsewhere. Specifically, against hers.

Without warning, she had leaned forward, pushing his lips right against his as she also pressed her body towards him. Not expecting her actions, Arlo had stumbled backward a little until he found his back pressed against the side of her building. Yet, still, Phyllis went with him - keeping their mouths interlocked as she brought herself right up against him, pinning him against the wall.

Arlo could taste the wine on her lips - he expected that he likely tasted the same. She danced her tongue along his upper lip, distracting him with the warm sensation as she continued to press her body against his. He could feel her breasts on his chest now, feeling full and plump as she slightly wiggled her body against his. It took him a moment to realize she was partially grinding into him.

How did they get here? It wasn't the first time they had found themselves in this position, but it surely had never happened this fast. Phyllis was wasting no time as she danced her tongue into his or gently tugged her hands into his hair.

Arlo had been so caught off guard that all he could bring himself to do was follow along. To match her mouth's movement as best as he could, though he noticed she was changing her rhythm quite frequently.

Touch her. Put your hand on her waist or something.

Arlo's own advice rang through his head, attempting to motivate his arms to make any sort of movement rather than just sit at his sides. Though he was currently using both to brace himself against the wall, he figured Phyllis would rather they be put to use.

But what would you prefer?

The thought cut through the mess of conversation occurring in his mind, nearly knocking the wind out of him. It was a question he had never really asked himself in this situation, but now it was there. Staring him right in the face.

Isn't this exactly what you wanted to avoid? That was the whole purpose of the talk, the planning, the date.

How did we end up right back here?

As Phyllis continued to move against him, he heard her hum in her throat as she then kissed him deeply. The kind of kiss that he knew should make him dizzy, make him intoxicated - but he found it didn't hit him in the very place she likely wanted.

Instead, it hit him elsewhere. Or rather… it brought him elsewhere.

Back to the Round Table. That Friday night when he had been surrounded by his friends… and sat across one friend in particular.

And then when the others had gone to dance, the two of them had stayed behind - firing back pieces of conversation as they always did.

Until he brought her attention elsewhere, to the friends she couldn't see from her seat so she had to move to the one next to him.

And in the moments following, she had found herself leaning into him. Her head to his chest, her side against his… and his hand had found the small of her back.

When the two had moved apart to look at one another, he felt his lips part as he studied her expression. He felt the warmth over his skin, the clarity in his thoughts as his focus remained on only one thing… one person.

She had managed to take him to that place. Even without touching her lips to his. Even without really trying.

It was… effortless.

Arlo felt himself suddenly jerk his head backward, smacking it into the stone behind him as his lips were released from Phyllis'. He didn't even care about the stinging pain in his head as he only felt a sense of relief rush through him. However, Phyllis didn't seem to notice. Rather she appeared to think the only reason he pulled away from her was to get some air.

Phyllis let out a small sigh herself, sinking her body into him further. How she managed to bring them even closer was beyond him. He thought they were as close as they could get. At least considering their circumstances.

"Arlo…" she breathed, her eyelids fluttering as she raised her gaze from his lips to his own eyes. She then raised her hands to grip the lapels of his jacket, giving them a small tug. "What do you say? Wanna come inside?"

Arlo stared down at the woman before him, aware of the dancing tone in her voice and the reason behind her tongue slowly running over her lips.

He knew he should say yes to her offer, but for the entirely wrong reasons. He had wanted to do it for her sake, not his. He hadn't wanted to let her down.

But if he said yes - he would be letting himself down.

Phyllis gave him another coy smile, her hand lifting to rub a thumb over his cheek.

Say something.

"Phyllis…" he began, his own hand moving to grab hers and slowly pull it away from her face. He paused, trying to find the right words to say. There were so many paths to take and he wasn't sure which one was the best to choose.

It was especially difficult to pick his desired path when his mind kept going back to the moment that played within his thoughts only seconds ago… the moment that had inevitably caused him to pull away from Phyllis. He couldn't bring himself to gloss over it. It was there.

Can't force something to happen while you try and force something else to the side.

Rem's words rang throughout his head. A part of Arlo wanted to blame the man's doubt and lack of support for causing his night to take such an abrupt turn. However, he knew it wasn't true. Rem had gotten underneath his skin, but it wasn't the reason why things had led where they did. The outcome had simply been inevitable.

Finally, Arlo cleared his throat as he chose a path. One that seemed like the easiest to take while the walls in his mind continued to come crashing down.

"I think I'll be a gentleman for now and just say goodnight," he told her as he leaned backward. "But thank you for a wonderful first date, Phyllis."

As his gaze fell on her expression once more, Arlo could see the smile on her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes. He waited for her to call him out or voice anger, but she chose to do neither.

"A man of respect," she replied with a nod. "I guess I should count my blessings."

She gave his lapel one last tug before she released him, finally allowing her smile to touch her eyes as she took a step backward. "Thank you, Arlo. I had a lovely time...Goodnight."

She then brought a hand to her lips, blowing him a kiss before she turned away from him. Within seconds, her door was unlocked and she had slipped inside.

The moment she closed it behind her, Arlo felt his own expression slip as if someone was pulling each of his features downward.

"Goodnight, Phyllis," he whispered.

He stood there, continuing to stare at her door as he felt realization after realization sink into his skin without any effort on his part. They came one by one and quickly nestled into him as if they didn't notice they were causing him any discomfort.

But these thoughts about Phyllis… they were just adding up on their own. They were closing doors that Arlo had been trying to pry open, even despite his better judgment. But the facts were all there now, and there was no avoiding them.

He had thought Phyllis was mentally and emotionally brilliant. In a way that made him want to talk to her about her past, her opinions, her life. And share his own side in regards to those topics - if she had prompted him.

But there was something else… something that was missing.

Because Arlo had managed to get a piece of what he had wanted while also realizing why what he had before hadn't been enough.

He wasn't physically attracted to Phyllis.

When she had touched him, smiled at him, kissed him - he had felt nothing. There was no excitement. No… spark.

He was holding on so tightly to other things that he had hoped could salvage everything, but he had been wrong. Even if he had fixed or gained what they had on their emotional and mental level, it still wouldn't make a difference on their physical attraction.

And while he did admire her both mentally and emotionally, he didn't necessarily think he was attracted to her that way either.

Any way he wanted to look at it - they just weren't compatible.

Arlo's chest was tight as he finally turned from Phyllis' door, his head hanging in defeat. He hardly registered each step he took against the stone pavement as he climbed the hill, the growing distance between him and Phyllis not making him feel any better.

However, for the first time in awhile, he felt the tornado in his mind come to a standstill - like a calm within a storm. His ears felt numb, unable to register any sound as his eyes were blind to his surroundings.

Heavy. All he could feel was heavy.

Finally, he had reached his own home, pushing the door open as his eyes adjusted from the dark streets of Portia to the bright light filling the main room. He paused in the doorway, suddenly unable to bring himself any further. However, that was likely due to the set of eyes pinning him there.

Lifting his head, Arlo met Rem's gaze - noting the perturbed furrow in the man's brow. Rem was sitting in one of the arm chairs, sheets of paperwork laying in his lap and on the armrest. Only, Rem was no longer distracted with the documents, but with his friend.

Arlo's chest continued to rise and fall as they stared at one another. However, he then broke their eye contact, shaking his head as he looked momentarily down to the ground.

"You were right," he stated. "You were right about everything."


End file.
